


Unconventional

by PerennialFall



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Genre: Action/Adventure, Best Friends, Bisexual Character, Drama, Drama & Romance, Drinking, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Friendship/Love, Insomnia, Love Triangles, M/M, Memory Loss, Pansexual Character, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Romantic Fluff, Shapeshifting, Slow Burn, Some angst, Studying, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2019-07-20
Packaged: 2019-08-01 21:40:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 117,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16292315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerennialFall/pseuds/PerennialFall
Summary: “Remember, you’re not alone this time. You have friends here and we’re more than capable. Let us help you.”Hyrule is burning and the fallout has finally reached the door of the otherwise impervious Hyrule Castle Town. New faces bring excitement to Telma's Bar, where new friendships are formed and old ones are tested in the thick of the Twilight crisis.Ashei, Shad, Link, Ilia love triangle. [Slow Burn]





	1. Brave New Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A strange girl arrives on the doorstep of Telma's Bar without any memory of who she is. Telma takes her under her wing and Shad is delighted to meet her. 
> 
> Ashei returns to town after a particularly harrowing journey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Welcome to the fic! ;) At the moment I'm projecting around 28 chapters and we're going to be following the events of the game in terms of the "plot." Obvs this is also inspired by the manga. 
> 
> Chapters 1-9 are mostly world-building.  
> Chapters 10 onward are more plot and shipping focused.  
>   
> If you're offended by the idea of co-existing gay, bisexual and/or other female love interests in a romantic setting then this is not the fic for you. My goal here is for all of the ships to be valid in their own way! ;) 
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

**Unconventional**

**Chapter 1 – Brave New Girl**

“Excuse me!” Shouted the landlord, banging on the yellow door of her cozy rental property. The house in question was situated in the middle of a terrace, meaning that the neighbours were definitely privy to the fact that this was her fifth visit this month.

“Shad! SHAD! I know you’re in there!”

From the backyard, one of the scholar’s boots coupled by his checkered socks could be seen hanging from the top of a narrow laundry window.

He began to squeeze through the gap, hovering precariously above the ground before dropping down. Shad took a moment to fix his disheveled auburn hair and round glasses, looking rather messy. He then turned around, pulled a heavy bag of books through the window and closed it gently. The landlord hammered on the door once more.

“Three month’s rent! THREE MONTHS! Sending me a copy of your latest book and a blurry pictograph of a Cuccoo isn’t going to pay the bills! I need some kind of deposit! SHAD!!”

“My lady, you shall have your rent _with interest_ once I finish my next installment!” Shad called from behind the house before vaulting clumsily over the fence. Luckily for the scholar, he could lose himself in one of Hyrule Castle Town’s main streets at a moment’s notice. And there were a variety of ways of making it to Telma’s Bar undetected.

The landlord growled, shoving a notice under the door.

* * *

“I’m sorry, where did you find her?” Telma asked a guard.

“In the moat, just outside of the city.”

A city guardsman adorned with the crest of the Royal Family was supporting a slim, pale girl by her arm, who stood shoeless on the doorstep of a grey-bricked bar.

The building was tucked away near a worn staircase off of the main street and it emanated a warm glow from its windows. A small decorative sign hung beneath a protruding lantern, signifying that this was indeed Telma’s Bar.

“I am sorry to ask such a thing but with the guards being… stretched thin at the moment…” the guard said, lowering his voice.

“You mean with all of the drama that’s going on with the castle? Exactly how long has it been now and still no news for us regular folk?” Telma questioned, raising an eyebrow. She made a fairly intimidating figure in the doorway, her red dreadlocks pulled back and her face adorned with coloured jewels.

The guard made a noise as if to shush the proprietor.

“We have not released an official statement to the public, and yet here I am, sworn to my duty. I have seen the types of people who frequent your bar. I know that if anybody in the neighbourhood has the resources to help this girl faster than us, it’s you.” The guard continued, diplomatically.

“There is no question regarding this one’s safety,” Telma answered. “We’ll get her warmed up and fed properly in no time, won’t we, honey?” She leant closer to get a better look of the girl, past her morose exterior.

In response the girl looked up vacantly, unsure of whether she ought to be relieved. She had short, ash-blonde hair, which seemed uncharacteristically unkempt for such a clean cut. And her eyes were a striking colour of green, giving her a spritely appearance.

The bar proprietor gave a brief, withering look to the guard, who could only concede the feebleness of his authority in such times. 

“Yes, well… better in our hands than yours. I’ll see to it that she finds the support she needs. The poor dear could use a doctor,” she sighed, upon evaluating the situation at hand. The pale girl sneezed quietly. “And I’ll be in contact with one immediately. So, off you go. Back to running the city without word from your superiors.”

The guardsman knew better than to stay and argue with the fiery woman. He regarded his charge with a final nod. “You’re in good hands, here,” he promised, before departing to the nearest street.

The girl opened her mouth to respond as Telma hurried her inside, hand on shoulder.

“W-Wait…!”

“The city’s a mess, honey, but you’re my top priority at the moment. Come sit by the fireplace and I’ll find you some new clothes and something to eat.”

“What’s going on?!” The girl cried hoarsely. “Where am I?”

“You’re in Hyrule Castle Town,” the woman explained gently. “And you’re safe with me. My name is Telma. I’m the owner of this bar.”

* * *

Ashei always found herself scowling on her way into town. Just past the gates, the road grew chaotic with merchant carts, salesmen, farmers, priests, musicians and stable-hands. In her opinion, it was like trading all the opportunity and solitude of the wilderness for a pounding headache in a confined space.

Arriving at night was admittedly less busy on the road, however events at her place of lodging tended to be in full swing in the later hours, making it difficult to sleep.

“Whoa, there!” she called, easing her slate-coloured mare into a pace that matched the surrounding traffic.

“A fortune for you, miss! You will surely want to know what the goddesses have in store for you!” spruiked a strange man in a flashy robe.

Ashei glared at him incredulously. Even the wolves she encountered on her travels had the courtesy not to obstruct the road.

“You’d better move, unless you want that pretty dress covered in mud,” she warned, forcing the charlatan out of her way.

The first time Ashei saw the impressive walls of the city, she wondered what it must be like to live in such a place where even the mountains had been cut down and artfully repurposed.

Her father had initially grown up in the town, served as an elite guard and moved to the wilds after choosing to settle down and have a family. The irony of returning to the city was not lost on her, albeit for a different purpose, though it was thanks to the old man’s contacts that she had managed to carve out a reputation as a reliable warrior, hunter and agent.

While she was never drawn to mercenary work, Ashei was initially hired as a bodyguard and a tracker with uncanny intuition and sharpness.

However, between the great surges in monster activity and a series of troubling reports regarding the state of Hyrule Castle, Ashei’s hands were full. After each meeting with her colleagues at Telma’s Bar, the state of the world seemed to be hurling itself further toward something dark and uncharted.

Ashei gripped the reigns of her horse and clenched her jaw.

Hers was not a report that she was looking forward to sharing.

* * *

Shad opened the door to the bar and confidently announced his arrival, feeling more at home than anywhere in recent memory. The heat from the morning sun lingered on his shoulders as he placed his coat by the door.

“Telma, I am rather early today. I hope you will forgive the intrusion,” he said, looking over at his old friend. Telma, who was almost always behind the bar, stood next to the fireplace with a quiet girl sitting in her most comfortable chair.

“Welcome Shad, I’ll be with you in a bit, honey.”

“Oh, who is she? A special visitor?” Shad ventured inquisitively, leaving his bag by his usual spot at the bar and wandering over to the two. Upon closer inspection he noticed that the girl was indeed wearing Ashei’s spare nightclothes, which were usually stored in a wardrobe upstairs.

Each member of the Resistance had a space to keep their own personal supplies at the bar, however out of the three other men, Ashei left the least amount of items in Telma’s care. Shad wondered what the steely warrior would make of this stranger wearing her clothes when she arrived.

“You could say that,” Telma replied, with an unusually tentative smile.

The girl looked up at Shad, searching for some familiarity.

“Good morning, miss!” He beamed at her, offering a hand. “My name is Shad. And you are?”

“I… I…” The girl suddenly averted her gaze, concentrating on the ground.

“It’s all right, honey,” Telma intervened, lightly squeezing the girl’s shoulder before regarding Shad. “I took this girl in from the city guard this morning. She hasn’t said much and they found her freezing cold from the moat. I’m actually on my way out to fetch that doctor who lives around the corner, if you wouldn’t mind looking after the bar.”

“M-My name is… L… Li…” The girl stammered.

Shad felt a heat rise to his cheeks. “Oh, forgive my rudeness. It is quite alright. You should be focused on your recovery. Not to worry, Telma will find you the help that you need,” he assured.

“Li… I can’t… L…” She stared vacantly into the fire.

Telma had left the two, wandering over to the bar to fetch her belongings.

“L… I… I don’t… _I don’t remember my name!_ ” The girl cried suddenly with a frightened look in her eyes.  
  
Shad found himself fumbling, trying to diffuse the tension he had suddenly released into the room. “I-I apologise,” he stammered. “Y-You seem to be looking well, though! That is to say, you look well for a girl who has been through, w-well, I do not know what and I could not venture a guess, however – you appear to be… well…”

“Your name will come to you when you’re feeling better. I’m sure of it. I’ll be back soon,” Telma smiled, on her way out of the bar. “Just relax and let this nice young man handle things until then. Shad, honey, there’s some soup on the stove which should be ready for her by now.”

“O-Oh, yes, certainly, Telma!” He called after her.

With the bar door closed, Shad turned his attention once more to the mysterious girl. Rather than making things worse, his new strategy was to simply refrain from prying and to look after her as best he could. “I… suppose you must be starving.”

“… Yes… Shad, is it?”

Shad offered a small nervous smile and nod, dashing into the kitchen to fetch a bowl of soup. He returned, placing it gently on a small table and pulling it next to the girl. It suddenly occurred to him that a variety of soldiers from the previous war frequented this bar in the evenings. Perhaps this bar provided the daily distraction that they craved, he thought as he noticed a deck of cards spilled carelessly across a nearby table.

The scholar then wandered over to the bar and fetched one of his books from his satchel. He planned to read it quietly in the adjacent chair, should the need for anything arise.

“Shad… thank you. I am sorry if I’ve caused any trouble to Telma, or to you…” the girl continued, eating her soup quietly with a duck spoon.

“Absolutely not, if there is anybody in this town who would go out of their way for you, it would be her.” Shad promised. “That guard was rather perceptive to bring you here.”

The girl’s face suddenly fell still. Shad leaned forward in response, maintaining a respectable distance while studying her reaction.   
  
“This soup…” she said with a puzzled tone. “What… what is in this soup?”

Shad blinked.   
  
“Is it not good? I apologise if that is the case. I will find you something else if you prefer, we have bread-“

“No,” the girl continued. “It just tastes… like I’ve had it before. Like, I used to come here all of the time. But that can’t be true, can it? I’ve never seen you before and none of you know who I am...”

“Well, it is true that this is my first time to make your acquaintance,” he concurred. “I certainly would not have forgotten such a cute young lady.” Shad immediately bit down on his tongue, fearing the wrath of the bar proprietress. What was wrong with him? He knew that this was hardly the time or place, yet he found the words pouring out of him.

To his relief, the girl simply stifled a laugh, amused.

“You’re so weird.”

“You would not be the first to declare so. And to elaborate on your point, at the moment the house specialty is a pumpkin soup,” Shad offered in an embarrassing attempt to move on. “They are sourced from the Ordona region, in the south.”

For a moment the girl had an animated look on her face, as though she had something to go on. But it dissipated into a frown.

“… Ordona… huh. It’s nice, anyway. Thank you, Shad.”

* * *

“It’s no use!” declared the doctor, adjusting his glasses. He projected a frail shadow against the tavern lighting. “I’ve never encountered memory loss of this scale. Something truly terrible must have happened to her to make her forget even her own name. Apart from the cold and a lack of food, everything else appears to be in working order.”

The doctor then began to pack up a suitcase containing several examination instruments and a torch that he’d repeatedly shone in his patient’s eyes.

Telma regarded him sceptically with her hands on her hips.

“So, what’s the treatment plan? Is there anything that can be done?”

The doctor grumbled in response, still hunched over his work equipment. “Mental ailments are not my specialty. You asked me to examine her and I did what I could within the scope of my knowledge. You’ll have to get a second opinion.”

The girl sank in the chair with her eyes wide and her fingers parted over her face.

“Don’t stress yourself, honey.” Telma assured. “There will be others with the power to help you. In the meantime, I’ll be here for anything that you need.”

“Wait! Doctor!” Shad intervened as the doctor shambled towards the door. The older man turned up his nose at the scholar as he pushed past.

“I suppose you’ll be paying off the rest of your tab the next time I see you in here!” Telma glowered as the door slammed shut.

An uneasy silence fell over the room as the girl sobbed.

“Where should I go?” she breathed. “Where do I live? My family, my friends… I’ve lost everything. I don’t know… what should I do?”

Telma glanced over to the door once more, cognizant of the fact that the bar was about to receive its first slew of day customers. In fact, it was rather miraculous that only Shad had shown up so far. “I have a proposal for you. How would you feel about staying here for now and working with me?” The proprietress winked. Shad could hardly contain the excitement in his eyes.

“Telma, that is a splendid idea!”

“I was just thinking that I could use some help and this stops me from having to hire somebody new. You’d be able to live upstairs, meals included of course. And it’ll give us time to search for somebody who can help you get your memory back,” she continued, warming up to the idea.

“B-But I don’t know how to do anything. I don’t want to get in the way. Please, I’ve imposed on you both so much,” the girl replied, exasperated.

“The work is easy, and the fact that you’re new to everything means that you’ll be a great learner!”

It was difficult to resist Telma’s positivity. The girl seemed to be in better spirits but shifted uncomfortably in her chair.

“Working in a bar means… being around plenty of people. If I don’t know who I am, how can I be sure that my identity isn’t going to cause any problems for you?”

The older woman laughed heartily before squeezing her hand.

“If someone comes in who knows about your past… _I’ll_ protect you if they try to hurt you.”

Shad made an involuntary noise that was almost like an erratic laugh. He was definitely mindful of the crowbar Telma stashed under the bar, and of the time Telma had used it to single-handedly break up a bar fight between a group of unscrupulous ‘adventurers.’

“You would take on all of this risk for me?” The girl asked quietly. “… I don’t want to be rude but why would you do such a thing?”

Telma was quiet for just a moment before glancing over to a pictograph of a young man, which sat discreetly on the shelf above the fireplace. Shad raised an eyebrow at her expression.

“Because…” she sighed. “Terrible things have been happening here. There has certainly been an increase in these events lately, but the truth is they have always been here. The war is still so fresh in the minds of the people living here and even those who were young at the time still carry the scars. For some, it was a reminder that tragedy can shape our lives in not a moment’s notice.”

Shad and the mysterious girl listened attentively, though for the scholar it was one of the rare few times he had seen his friend so vulnerable.

“My departure from the past was borne of a desire to save our future. I might work in a bar but over the years, I’ve built a strong community here. What good is any of that if we can’t help somebody who needs it?”

The girl looked up at Telma with an intense gaze.

“The silver lining to your predicament is that here, you have the opportunity to start again. You can be whoever you want to be, without judgement.” Shad added kindly.

“It looks like… this would be the perfect place for me right now,” said the girl with distinct relief washing over her face. Her green eyes had lost their sullen shadow. “If there’s any way that… I can be of use and repay you both, then I’d be happy to do it.”

“This is your home, if you’ll have it,” Telma promised.

“Thank you! I’ll do my best to stay out of trouble.”

“You’re a good girl. I can tell, I have an eye for people.” The redhead laughed.

“After prying the demons out of these men all day with the right ale.” Came a cool voice from the other side of the room.

“Ashei!” Shad greeted.

“Who is this girl and why is she wearing my pajamas?” The obsidian-haired warrior tossed a leather bag into the corner, which made a sharp _clang_ as it hit the floor.

Telma bent down to meet the girl’s eyes. “Starting now, she’ll have a new family, new friends… and a new name. What should we call you, honey? Something with ‘Li,’ which seemed important enough to remember?”

Ashei glanced quizzically between the scholar and the bar owner, clearly behind on whatever was happening at this moment with the stranger in her clothes.

“How about… Liza?” Telma extended with a wink.

“Yes… Yes! Please, call me Liza. I’ll be the new barmaid at your tavern.”


	2. Exception That Proves the Fool

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashei and Shad are caught in an argument regarding the urgency of the scholar's research. 
> 
> The new girl, who now goes by the name of Liza, finds a Zora boy collapsed outside of the bar and takes it upon herself to care for him.

**Chapter 2 – Exception That Proves the Fool**

As the twilight hours took hold and the sun began to fade, the unassuming streetscape which enveloped Telma’s Bar came to life.

Its patrons could be politely described as ‘diverse,’ enveloping people of various ages and eccentricities that were not limited to their clothes. It was in this setting that Liza observed what it might mean to become a normal Hylian. Even if she lacked the trademark pointed ears of the Castle Town citizens.

She noticed that the only other person to share this trait with her was Ashei, who seemed very much unhappy to be there in the thick of ‘happy hour.’

“You might’ve guessed by looking around that happy hour is our busiest time of the day, everybody tends to finish work just before sundown,” Telma explained, pouring various liquids into glasses of differing size and shape. “This is how much wine we serve per standard drink, and here is where we keep the good stuff, you’ll see the names of them up on the board…”

Liza nodded attentively, drinking in the chaos around her.

The main concourse of the bar was packed with groups of people and their own scatter of refreshments. Now and then, the regular hum of conversation would be broken up by cheering whenever a certain person walked in, or by the sound of a bard’s flute when the door opened.

“Our job is to just keep things running on the floor. Sometimes we need to be quick with the cleaning equipment but things stay in place more often than not,” Telma winked. “That being said, honey, if anyone gets in the way of you doing your job or they make you uncomfortable, I’ll show them the way out.”

Ashei noticed the scholar watching the boss and her new student with curiosity. The two colleagues were situated some distance away from the main floor, with a half-drawn curtain muffling some of the noise.

“So, how’s your latest dissertation coming? Did you sell any more copies of that first book?” she enquired.

Shad shifted nervously, switching his attention back to the table. “With all of the commotion of this morning, I hadn’t the chance to continue. I was lucky enough to acquire some more research materials from the state library but even those appeared to be sparse on evidence.”

“Sounds rough. Still, there’s gotta be a trail somewhere, even in paper form.”

“Well, I attempted to contact the family of one such late explorer who sketched this-” Shad began, pulling a notebook out of his coat and opening it up to a page with a single-folded picture.

Ashei raised a single eyebrow at the contents of the drawing.

“However, they refused to co-operate with my inquiry! Claimed that these sky beings were the downfall of their zealous uncle. He was one of the few people to have made contact with them, let alone recorded it!”

“Uh, yeah…” She frowned.

“And I relinquished that pictograph to my landlady as collateral for my… er… rather late, promissory obligation to pay my rent.” The scholar laughed nervously, running a hand along his neck. “Now that I say that out loud, I know how dire things must look from my perspective... but I refuse to let it get in the way of my search. If I could just crack the code on these ancient runes, then I could decipher the Sky Writing, find the missing link and my academic career would-”

“You _what?”_ Ashei exclaimed. “No, Shad, that’s ridiculous. You need to fix this before it gets out of hand. And then you need to get out there and _find_ one of these things!” The warrior had swiftly jumped to her feet as she spoke. 

“And how, pray tell, would I do that without the proper evidence?” the scholar argued, rising to meet her eye-level. “I am more passionate for this cause than you realise! What I wouldn’t give to meet one of these ancient beings. They could hold the key to unraveling the darkness taking hold of Hyrule as we speak. But I cannot allow contingencies such as the public's interest decide whether I get there or not!”

“We don’t have time to waste on your _flakiness!”_  

“And I do not have the infinite resources necessary to wait for the rest of Hyrule to _catch up!_ ” Shad dissented with frustration.

“ _If you had ANY idea what was out there at the moment!_ ” Ashei shouted, unconscious of the crowd around them. “ _Zora’s Domain is-_ ”

The curtain next to their table was suddenly pulled back to reveal a very unimpressed bar proprietress.

“It’s been a lonnng day, for both you,” Telma interjected, arms folded in disapproval. “Maybe you’d better call it quits and save it for the meeting tomorrow when Auru and Rusl arrive. Any further business you have can wait til then.”

Liza peered curiously over to the three from behind the bar, multi-tasking a serve of cider to a customer.

“Fine with me,” Ashei scowled before heading toward the stairs.

“Certainly,” Shad said curtly, dismissing himself from the table.

The grim warrior opened a door into one of the spare rooms delegated for Resistance members above the tavern. The stone floor was only semi-effective at muffling the sound of the evening rush, however Ashei’s comfort levels had risen without question. She soaked a small towel into a nearby sink and pressed it against her tired, amber eyes.

“I can’t wait for tomorrow to be over.”

She then opened a nearby drawer to the grim realisation that she would be spending another night in her armour, thanks to Telma’s new employee. “Damn it.”

* * *

‘I cannot believe the nerve of her…’ Shad contemplated angrily. Telma was certainly right about one thing. It had indeed been a long and rather, unproductive, day. ‘She cannot expect the same punctuality from my research in comparison to her fieldwork. It has taken years to collect this many pieces of the past-’

“Are you heading home now?” Liza enquired warmly, carrying a small tower of empty pints.

“Oh, L-Liza!” he replied, startled. “Yes, I am afraid that I must take my leave. I have caused enough trouble in here for one day. How are you finding it all?”

“It’s… different. Not that I have much to go off but I think I’m enjoying it? Everybody has been so nice to me, and the customers are so… funny,” the young barmaid surmised.

The scholar smiled. “Well, I am glad to hear it.”

“Is it a far walk for you?”

“Not at all, I live just down the road… er, at the moment,” he clarified.

Liza made a sudden gasping sound and looked down at her feet to find a voluminous white cluster of fur rubbing against her ankles. “Ah! Wh-What is it doing?” She stammered. “Ahh! Aghhhh!”

In surprise, she stumbled backwards onto her heels, nearly smashing the glasses onto the floor.

“Whoa…!” Shad exclaimed, swooping in behind the barmaid to catch her and steady her balance. The mischievous ball of hair perched itself onto a nearby chair and licked its paws, meowing at Liza just once.

“I’m sorry, honey,” Telma called out from across the room. “That’s just Louise saying hello. She won’t harm you, I promise.”

Liza blinked at the strange creature as it regarded her with its intelligent blue eyes. She was too distracted to notice the scholar shuffling backwards, dying to maintain a respectable amount of personal space between them.

“See you tomorrow, Shad! Oh, and hands off…” Telma teased in a mock-threatening tone. “Remember, Liza’s my employee now.”

Shad relinquished the pint glasses to the nearest table and hurried out of the door, embarrassed.

“Oh Telma, he meant well! That won’t be the first thing I nearly break tonight.”

* * *

The other half of Hyrule Castle Town rose with the sun to capture the most profitable hours of their day. The buildings seemed to become smaller just south of the main square, with vined balconies overlooking intricate murals and wall carvings, not dissimilar to those at the city fountain. The lush scenery signified that this was the primary shopping district for perishable and artisanal goods, which included bakeries, florists, butchers and exotic wares.

At the moment there was a Goron street-vendor supplying spring-water from Death Mountain. And although the town had its own group of dedicated fishermen, it had been some time since anybody had seen the usual traders from the Zora tribe, much to the dismay of the local cat population.

The rest of the storekeepers had long ago set up their stock for the morning rush and hadn’t a set of hands to spare while tending to their customers.   
  
It was here that Ashei stood in a short line outside of a small café, which carried a sweet scent of fresh croissants in the air. If there were one thing she could concede about the city, it was that they had far superior options for food.

In the crowd of shoppers, she'd thought she caught a glimpse of a familiar face. “… Auru.” She said, intersecting an older gentleman with a pointed beard, heavy leather boots and multi-layered tunic.

“Ashei. Punctual as ever, no?” He acknowledged warmly.

The warrior stepped out of the line to continue the conversation. “Good to see there’s three of us now. Is Rusl due to arrive today?”

“He sent a hawk my way upon the desert gates.” Auru informed quietly. “Unfortunately he has been delayed upon encountering some trouble in Ordon village, however he should arrive either tonight or tomorrow morning.”

“Ordon? The monsters are breaching defenseless farming towns, now?” Ashei replied, in the knowledge that she ought not to be surprised.

“I wouldn’t use the word ‘defenseless’ around Rusl, to be sure.” Auru added wryly. “But yes. I can’t say that my journey was without trouble, either. How did you fare? I am almost dreading the contents of our meeting, to be honest.”

Ashei audibly groaned in response. “Honestly, I don’t even know where to begin with this mess. I’ll be interested to hear your take… but let’s leave it out of public’s ears for now, yeah?”

“That bad? Well in that case, how is Shad faring with his research, if you’ve had the chance to visit him at Telma’s?” Auru acknowledged, moving on.

The warrior’s face hardened into a deadpanned expression.

“Let’s save that for the meeting, too. I want a headache-free morning.”

* * *

Wednesday was the most quiet morning for the bar, granting Liza some extra hours of quiet in her new room. She opened her eyes to the sight of a tray carrying toasted bread and a glass of juice upon the windowsill.

The shaky girl had then carefully pulled herself out of bed and stretched, feeling strangely rejuvenated. When _was_ the last time she’d had a good night’s rest? She had no way of knowing. And it made her head spin to know that this was to be her new life, her new reality, despite the bruises on her limbs and the absence of a single personal effect in her new home. It all felt like a strange dream.

Liza opened the window and peered out at the bustling town in wonder, enjoying her breakfast.

... Was _this_ the sort of place that she used to live in?

Had she been somebody important?

And if she were to have an ordinary day as a citizen in this town... where would she even _want_ to go?

Everything was all so blurry. Perhaps none of that mattered, if for the time being she could indeed be somebody else.

“Good morning, Telma!” She called, walking calmly down the stairs to see the fiery redhead preparing a hot beverage.

“Good morning, honey, nice to see you’re doing better.” Telma replied kindly. “I was thinking, if you’re going to be living here I should show you around the town. You’ll be able to enjoy your days off if you know where to go. And today’s the perfect weather! So, what do you say to some shopping? I’ll close the bar.”

Liza looked down at her clothes and giggled, conscious of the fact that not everybody walked around in a beige tunic or the torn, muddied dress she’d arrived in, which hung on a clothesline outside. “Sure… I’d like to get to know this place better.”

The two women arrived at the bar sometime later that afternoon, carrying multiple bags filled with shoes, clothing and bathing essentials. Liza found herself inextricably drawn the colour green, though she could not explain why.

“I almost don’t want to reopen the bar,” Telma said jokingly, turning the sign as they entered through the door. “How did you find everything today? Was there anywhere in particular that you liked?”

“It’s all so much, but that place with the flowers was so beautiful.” Liza said excitedly. “I feel like… you’re so lucky to live here. It makes me wonder what it was like where I came from…?”

Telma studied her with a raised eyebrow. “Anything seem to jog your memory today? I noticed you seem to like the outdoors. And the horses.”

Liza shook her head, smiling sadly.

“I… I don’t know. But… at the same time, I feel like maybe it’s not important right at this moment. I’m enjoying my time here. Being… Liza, I mean.”

“That’s important too, honey. You should allow yourself to be happy, if that’s how you feel.” 

“I also wonder if… maybe I shouldn’t be in such a hurry to remember…” She confessed. “I don’t want it to end. I know that I haven’t been here very long but it feels like the first good night’s rest I’ve had in an eternity. And I’m beginning to heal.” Liza held up her arms, which were admittedly less scuffed and dirtied from her previous adventure.

“And that’s okay,” reassured the proprietress. “It’s only been a day but I can see a world of difference in you. You’re a strong girl and you’ll be able to handle it when the time comes.”

Liza noticed how odd it felt to smile, like the muscles in her face were once frozen in ice, but she didn’t let that stop her. “You have a lot of confidence in me, Telma. I sure wouldn’t after the mess of a job I did last night.”

“You did well to handle that chaos, honey. A week in my care and you’ll put the all other bar staffers to shame, especially with your crowbar training,” the older woman smirked.

It was then that a sudden crash at the door caught the attention of both women. Rather than allowing herself to be frightened, Liza rushed to the entrance and found a small child who eerily resembled a water nymph collapsed onto the ground.

“A Zora!” Telma exclaimed over her shoulder. “All the way out here? What in the name of the goddesses is happening out there?”

Upon closer inspection Liza saw that the child was of smaller stature, his skin mostly silver with fine, iridescent purple scales. He wore silver and gold bands of jewelry adorned with sapphires. Delicate fins protruded from his shoulders and around his face, which was contorted in pain.

Liza felt her heart beating in her ears, her vision blurry.

He was just like her… but in a _much_ worse condition.

“Quickly, let’s get him inside.”

* * *

Shad managed to have a relatively stress-free day, walking the balmy city streets with some fresh notes tucked securely under his arm. The best medicine for being stuck in his investigation was, of course, to go outside with the minimal materials and to review what he already knew. Fragments of evidence seemed to erupt wherever there was some strife in the world. Surely this couldn’t be a coincidence.

Was it a deliberate attempt on the part of the Oocca to make contact with modern Hyrule?

Was their perception of the Hylian world impacted by all of the recent chaos?

And could they indeed be somewhere out there now?

Last night’s argument was still in the back of his mind, plaguing his current understanding of the case with doubt. Maybe it _wouldn’t_ be such a bad idea to search for his own clues, he wondered. It wouldn’t matter once the bond from his house was inevitably forfeit.

_If only there were someone out there who shared my interest in my research… Could we solve this mystery together?_

With that in mind, he planned on avoiding the bar until this evening when the Resistance meeting was due to take place.

“Watch it!!”

With his head in the clouds, Shad bumped into a stranger and gasped, dropping his notes to the ground. The scholar looked up to find a shorter, non-assuming Hylian male standing over him. “E-Excuse me, good sir…” he withdrew, bending over to collect his effects.

“What are _you_ doing at Princess Agitha’s Castle?” the younger man questioned in an uppity voice. “Have you got some business with her, dressed up like that?”

“Agitha’s… Castle…? You mean that eccentric girl who collects the insects?” Shad inquired, straightening his posture. It was certainly hypocritical for him to identify anybody else in the town as offbeat.

“How dare you!” the man squeaked. “Eccentric? I would never debase her as such! And you should address her as _Princess_ Agitha, unless you’re friends with her or something?”

“I really have no business here,” Shad clarified. “I only wish to collect my notes and I shall be on my way-”

The man stepped very dramatically onto the scholar’s paperwork, pinning it down to the pavement. “You think I don’t know why you’ve come? Who could blame you? My princess is a rare beauty, and you waltz into her abode at sundown with poetry!” he accused.

“No! Please, there has been some misunderstanding!” Shad protested. To his relief the surrounding walkway appeared to be relatively quiet, diminishing some of his embarrassment from the scene caused.

“If you want it back you’ll have to answer three questions – just three – about my darling Princess Agitha!” The man continued, with a self-congratulatory grin. “Then we’ll see whether your verses are worthy of her love! Question one… what… is her favourite colour?”

“Is it purple?” Asked a familiar voice behind the quarreling pair.

Ashei was poised in the street with her arms folded, accompanied by Auru who had obviously decided to let her handle things from here.

“You can’t answer his questions for him!” the man argued. “But… yes, I suppose you’re right. How did you know that?”

“I didn’t. I just guessed from the shade I’d be turning you if you don’t get off this man’s paperwork – immediately,” she said bluntly.

The antagonist made a strange sound, as though he were offended by the suggestion, before following the instructions. He’d assessed the young, armoured woman as capable of doing serious harm. In response, the scholar snatched his notes back from the pavement with an unusual glint of defiance in his eyes.

“Thank you!” he snapped. “Perhaps now you can return to your inane rambling, while I do my best to forget this conversation.”  
  
Without a thought to the quarrel from last night, Shad soon found himself joining the dark-haired warrior and their older counter-part, who held himself in the shadows.

“Just a minute.” Ashei affirmed. “I’m gonna make sure this creep never bothers anyone ever again.” Before the man in question could run away, she grabbed him in one swift motion and – with a yelp and an undignified _ripping_ sound – hung him from a nearby torch holder by his smallclothes.

Shad gave a final disparaging look to the stalker and adjusted his glasses. “That tunic does you no favours." He scoffed. "I am certain that Agitha’s other followers are of a more refined persuasion.”

 


	3. Three of Pentacles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashei, Shad and Auru meet Link for the first time in the street and share an unfortunate exchange.
> 
> Link then makes his way into Telma's Bar and is shocked to find Ilia with a new name and no recollection of who he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks for following so far! We gotta get some more plot out of the way before we pop those bottles open!

**Chapter 3 – Three of Pentacles**

Despite the fact that evening had well and truly set in, Hyrule Castle Town felt remarkably bright and loud. Perhaps it was a combination of the city’s torches and meandering noise level as most of its citizens were either returning home or heading out. Either way, it was a stark departure from the otherworldly serenity of the Twilight Realm. The atmospheric differences in the world of light were going to take some time to get used to, once again.

‘Was this the right place? I’m sure I came down this way… it was so much easier without all these people around…’

Some of the pedestrians couldn’t help but notice the striking young man with a lost expression on his face, scanning the buildings with his eyes and nearly obstructing the path.

He wore a tunic of soft green and a matching hat, which only seemed to add to the messiness of his sand-coloured hair. At first look, one might have mistaken him to be harmless, yet strapped to his back was an exceptionally well-crafted blade and a weighty shield. His eyes were an uncanny shade of cerulean, which nearly offset the rest of his gentle face.

 _‘Lost,_ are we?’ taunted a mischievous voice in the man’s ear.

“Not now!” he growled quietly, so as not to appear even madder than he might’ve liked.

‘It’s not that different here at night. I mean look, they even light the way for you stupid Hylians to see where you’re going.’

“That’s not the problem! I just can’t remember which building it was, I know it was around here somewhere!”

‘Take the next left… I swear, you’re more useful as a wolf. Maybe you ought to consider making the change permanent.’

The swordsman quickened his pace, ignoring the imp in his shadows. He knew that it was in both of their interests to find the bar as quickly as possible. Afterall, she needed his assistance to get anywhere in the world of light, as unwilling as he might’ve been at times.

“… Look at this clown.”   
  
He looked up to see a peculiar group of citizens sizing him up from across the pavement, interrupting his thoughts. The one who spoke was another young warrior roughly his age – a dark-haired girl – who wore steel-plated gauntlets and leggings over a tight blouse and embroidered pants. Her eyes were fixated in disgust.

Next to her was a slightly older Hylian whose eyes were a darker shade of indigo, framed by round glasses and warm, copper hair. His clothes were undeniably flashier than his colleagues, comprised of a white under-blouse and black ribbon tie. 

“Oh dear,” he tsk-ed, glancing at the swordsman’s clothes. “Pray tell, where did you buy that outfit, Mr. Hero? Would you be so kind as to put in an order for me, next time?”

“Wh-What?” The swordsman choked for a moment, taken back by their audacity.

Did these strangers... think he was in some _costume?_

The older man accompanying them had the look of a vagabond, downplaying his rough exterior so as to blend in with his surroundings. “I don’t believe some of the buffoons who travel here to perform,” he muttered as they continued down the walkway.

“They must really be desperate to draw an audience at that actors’ inn.” Shad concurred.

‘Hahaha!’ the shadow cackled into the swordsman’s ear. ‘Even your own people think you look silly, Link!’

Link bit down on his tongue as he stomped in the opposite direction. “I don’t care!” he said aloud. “I’m here for Ilia! I need to make sure that she’s still here, and that she’s alright.” The warrior in green immediately recognised the turn in the road ahead, in addition to the vines, which grew sporadically along the walls and fixtures of the buildings.

He could also hear the night market from the adjacent main street.

_This was it._

Analysing his surroundings, Link then followed a worn staircase leading down into a hidden square.

* * *

The scholar opened the door to his quiet abode, dimly lit by a single string of lanterns near the kitchen window. “If you’d both be so kind as to wait for me… I must see to it that nothing else befalls my work on this awful day.”

Ashei and Auru kept inoffensively to the doorway of the house while Shad disappeared, collectively stacking some of the books he’d littered along his counter-tops in the process.   
  
Looking around, one would’ve noticed that the home was remarkably bare, even for a bachelor. Apart from the odd hand-written note stuck to a chair or tower of books, there was a single vase of flowers on the dining room table and a series of impromptu bookshelves, which ran chaotically along the walls. A pair of cats’ eyes glowered menacingly from the other side of the windowsill, a ‘stray,’ which had obviously found a way to manipulate the peculiar scholar into providing the occasional dinner.

Auru waited until Shad’s rustling grew faint before asking, “Did something happen between the two of you earlier?”

“… No. I mean not really, what gave you that idea?” Ashei lied, casually reading through the notice which had been shoved under the door.

“I can still sense some tension in the air. Both of you seem avoidant, for a start.”

“Well, look, it was nothing serious. I arrived early yesterday and asked Shad how his research was going. He said he’d hit a couple of roadblocks and that he’s on notice from his landlady.”

“What did you say?”

“… I told him he was being ridiculous,” the warrior shrugged, now shaking a nearby empty wine bottle upside down.

“And did you think that was a helpful assessment of the situation?” enquired the older man, wittingly.

“No.” Ashei faltered. “Hey, don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t trying to be malicious or anything. I just want him to get out there and succeed. He’s given up so much to have gotten this far, I’ve never known anyone to have dedicated so much of their life to something that may or may not yield results.”

“You know that this was his father’s research, too.”

“Yeah but it goes further than that,” Ashei said, guarded. “I didn’t have to follow my father and take up the blade. I could’ve just as easily kept to myself, made a decent living, or moved into the city for –” The tittering laughter of a small group of noblewomen, decked out in their frilly attire, came in through the windows as they passed. 

“… For the _culture,_ ” the warrior clarified, “But I wanted to use my strength. I wanted to see where it could take me, and once I saw what I was capable of, I went and found a cause – _our_ cause, which is worthy of my blade. And I see him trying to do the same by choosing this… precarious path.”

“You have your talents and he has his. The world of books is only as deep as our limited understanding of the world, and our knowledge of the ancients slips further from our grasp each day,” Auru surmised. “It’ll take no small amount of effort and perhaps even a stroke of luck to prove Shad’s thesis. But if he does, I imagine he will be the first in a long line of academic successors.”

“If anyone out there can do it, it’s him.” Ashei shrugged. “Maybe my job is a bit more clear-cut, I haven’t met any foe I haven’t been able to engage with in battle.”

The scholar tilted his head in bemusement, leaning against the kitchen table.

“How long were you standing there?” she hissed in embarrassment.

“Long enough to take heed of your backhanded compliments. Please, neither of you stop on my account.”

“Don’t let it get to your head.”

The men exchanged a knowing smirk. Extracting compliments out of the hostile warrior was a game not easily won.

“Well, it looks like my business here is done,” the scholar concluded graciously. “So, onward to Telma’s Bar, then? I have a hunch we’ll be seeing Rusl soon.”

* * *

On an ordinary night the business of Telma’s Bar would have already hit peak levels. All that stood between the quiet inside and the chaos of the street was a small ‘closed’ sign hanging over the entrance. In contrast, Link noted that the door was in fact slightly ajar, and that a warm light radiated from all the windows of the building. His hand then _lingered,_  a little too long before he dared to let himself in.

Surely once Ilia saw him, she would understand.

She wouldn’t have to be _afraid_ anymore.

‘This is it…’ he told himself. With a heavy sigh he knocked and pried it open further.

“H-Hello? Anyone here at the moment?”

The swordsman noticed the tall red-haired woman with a bronze complexion, notably the bar owner he’d seen earlier, and the feeble doctor below her. They were hunched over a small and unconscious Zora boy who had been carefully laid to rest upon a table.   
  
Next to the doctor was the ash-blonde girl he’d been searching for all of this time. And her eyes were full with tears.

“… Ilia!” the swordsman gasped.

“Why do you keep sending me patients that I can’t treat?!” scolded the old man.

“I don’t care about what happened to me! But you must be able to do something about this boy! Doctor – please, he’ll die…!” Liza cried.

“There’s not a thing I can do for the Zora! And the ones who come to the market haven’t been here all week. The only practitioner I know who has experience with non-Hylians is in Kakariko Village.”

“Who? Tell us his name!” Telma demanded.

“Renado. He’s a shaman – not from any medical school around here! And if you ask me, you get what you pay for.”

Link’s mind clicked into gear. _Renado?_ He knew him well, and he’d just come from Kakariko to free the Lanayru Province from the Twilight Realm.

“Doctor! Please!!” the barmaid cried. “You can’t leave him like this!”

The older man pushed past Link who stood innocently in the doorway. “Get out of my way,” he grumbled, before slamming the door for the second time that week.

Liza finally glanced at over at the green-clad stranger with a dejected look on her face. “Sorry, mister… the bar’s closed for the night,” she said dismissively.

“W-Wait…!”

The girl was unresponsive.

Link’s eyes widened in shock as the gravity of the situation dawned on him. He’d needed to see her, to make sure that she was okay. And now that he’d found her, she stood before him with the indifference of a stranger in her eyes.

What had happened to her? How could she forget him – the farmhand that she’d grown up with – the only boy in the village her age – her _best friend?_

Was she mad with him? That seemed unlikely, as Ilia was never the type to shy away from speaking her mind.

Maybe she’d chosen to forget…

The ghost of the Bulblin general’s blade lingered in Link’s shoulder joint, precisely where he’d had his sword arm sliced off in front of Ilia. If it weren’t for the light spirit of Ordona he’d have died, then and there, without the luxury of time to find his lost friend. And at this moment here in the bar, not even a scar served as a reminder of the trauma, only his memory.

Ilia.

 _“I’m so glad you’re safe!”_ he wanted to say – he wanted to grab her and cry the way he did when he’d saved Colin and found the rest of the children from Ordon village in safe hands – but instead he swallowed the words.

How could he have failed her so terribly?

Instead he found himself apologising in return, even if he didn’t deserve her forgiveness.   
  
“I…. I’m sorry.”

Liza barely acknowledged the swordsman, turning her attention back to the Zora boy whose breaths had grown increasingly shallower with time. “… There isn’t anything more we can do for him, here,” she said softly.

 _Prince Ralis!_  
  
Link remembered seeing him before, struggling through the town gates, dizzy with exhaustion. Glancing upon him now, he was surprised at how quickly the child’s condition had deteriorated in a short period of time. This could have easily been any of the children from Ordon village.

But luckily, there was still time for him to keep his promise to Queen Rutela.

“Excuse me Mr. Handsome Swordsman, would you be a dear and help me with these towels for the boy?” Telma interrupted, drawing a hesitant Link into the kitchen. Though they were just around the corner, she’d hoped that the stove, running basin and the counter-tops would muffle most of their conversation.

“Uh, yeah – sure… I’m sorry to barge in like this. You’re Telma, right?” the swordsman floundered, grabbing the back of his neck.

“Aren’t you astute for an out-of-towner?” the proprietress winked. “Yes. I’m the owner of this bar and that’s my employee, Liza. I can see that you know the girl by another name.”

Link abruptly caught a bucket filled with cool, fresh water and two towels from the bar owner.   
  
“Th-That’s right…”

“May I ask what business you have with her? You’re not some spurned ex-boyfriend are you?” the woman teased.

“N-No!” Link yelled, turning slightly red despite the weight of the situation. “Never! I’d never harm Ilia, she’s my sis – my _friend._ I came all this way to check if she was still safe – I saw her with you and I just wanted to be sure.”

Telma regarded him with folded arms, eyeing the swordsman sceptically before leaning in to meet his eye-level. Her face finally softened. “Well Mr. Swordsman, I’m just making sure you’re on her side too. She’s been through a lot, hasn’t she?”

Link averted his eyes, shamefully.

“I… I couldn’t get to her in time… after they took her away from our village… it was my fault.”

The bar proprietress turned the taps at the basin off.

“Honey, whoever did this to her wouldn’t be standing in my kitchen now checking on her wellbeing. You might’ve already guessed by now that she can’t remember a thing about her ordeal, or about who she was before it.”

Link felt his eyes begin to sting and he shuffled uncomfortably.

_So, it was true…_

He swallowed.

“… That explains why she doesn’t want to talk to me.”

“I get the impression that she was important to you, and that you do have her wellbeing at heart,” Telma said, keeping her voice low and calm. “But I wanted to ask you… not to spring this on her just yet. At the moment Liza and this boy need all the support they can get. If you can wait until this ordeal is over… and win her trust as her friend… then we can work on restoring her memory together, with her on board. I promise.”

The swordsman nodded once, slowly. And then he closed his eyes, feeling his fists clench in a quiet rage. “… You should know that I stopped them. The ones that did this won’t be able to harm anyone, ever again,” he said softly, tempering the subtlety in his own voice.

“Well, well. I’m glad.”

Telma wasn’t entirely sure what to make of this stranger. If what he was saying were true, then he certainly had the skill to back up the curiously formidable equipment he carried. ‘I wonder if he might be up for some extra work…’ she contemplated.

The pair returned in silent accord to the main floor of the bar, where Link placed the bucket and towels next to his old friend.

Liza began gingerly soaking the fabric and dabbing it along the Zora boy’s forehead.

“We need to find Renado in Kakariko Village. How far away is it?” she asked.

“It’s across the plains to the east. But if what the soldiers are saying is true, there are hoards of monsters out there at the moment. Nobody’s traveled that way in weeks,” Telma said grimly, shaking her head.

“Is there _anyone_ in this town who can get us there? We need to leave tonight!”

The bar owner watched Link with a roguish glint in her eye.

“I can do it. I can get us there.”

Liza looked up, aghast. She regarded the swordsman with her full attention for the first time. “Can you, really? Please, at this rate the boy won’t make the night! I don’t have a lot of money but we’ll make it up to you, I promise.”

Link reigned in his look of surprise. He couldn’t recall a time in which he’d seen Ilia so intense in her determination, and she was indeed a remarkably determined girl.

“You’ll have the lives of three people in your hands, you know.” The proprietress reminded. “Are you sure you’ve got it in you?”

The swordsman turned his attention to the sickly Zora boy, who was muttering quietly in between shallow breaths.

“M… M-Mother… Mother…”

“Yes. I can get us safely to Kakariko. I’ll even introduce you to Renado, I know him, he’s a good man,” he promised.

Link nearly fell backwards as Liza rushed towards him, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly.

 _“Thank you_ so much! You have no idea what this means! Who are you? What’s your name?”

“… Link. My name is Link.”

Liza seemed to go still for a moment, before a warm smile washed over her face. “Mr. Link, it’s nice to meet you. You have a kind heart.”

The swordsman fidgeted in response, conscious of the sweat gathering in his palms.   
  
“N-No problem, Ili – I mean, _Liza…”_ he clarified.

“Don’t go thanking him until we get there safely. And let’s get packing, honey. We need to get going now if we’re to give this Zora the best chance.” The proprietress advised, throwing a measured smile of approval to their new bodyguard.

Link exhaled slowly, turning his mind to the campaign ahead. He was no longer an innocuous farmhand from Ordon village. He had tasted violence, traveled from the realm of light and taken the form of a beast to protect those he cared for. He knew he could not fail Ilia again. If it came down to it, he would give his life to ensure that their mission was a success.

“I’ll be able to guard you from horseback. How do you two plan on managing the trip?” he enquired, tactically.

“I’ll drive. I’ve got a horse and cart ready to go at the stables,” Telma assured, sweeping her effects into a bag.

“And I’ll protect the boy!” Liza declared with a fist. “Telma, get me the crowbar!”

Link whistled once, just under his breath.  
  
... Just what kind of place _was_ this establishment?


	4. Night to Remember

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the bar closed and Telma and Liza nowhere to be found - Ashei, Shad and Auru wait impatiently for Rusl to arrive. They discuss the state of Zora’s Domain. 
> 
> Link accompanies Ilia and Telma on the road, only to find himself outnumbered. Ilia struggles to remember what happened to her before she came to town.

**Chapter 4 – Night to Remember**

“… What the hell?” Ashei said as she peered through the darkened windows of the bar. She’d never known Telma to shut the doors for the night, short of an emergency that would be in the same vein as the moon crashing into the town. Even then, she imagined that this place would still draw quite the crowd.

“If you could grant me a moment,” Shad assured, digging into one of the pockets of his purple coat. “I have a spare key. Surely Telma has left us a note inside, explaining the situation.”

The warrior sniffed loudly in amusement. “You have your own key to get in? I bet that’d come in handy when you’re running low on booze.”  
  
“Yes, yes… Don’t mind the fact that it specifically comes in handy for moments like these. If you keep that up, I may choose to leave you outside.” The scholar replied, holding back a rather undignified eye-roll.   
  
Shad fiddled with the lock longer than he would’ve liked, though he were glad to be in the company of those who couldn’t have mistaken him for a thief. With a final _click,_ he then slowly opened the door into the silent void. The bar was nothing short of eerie without its familiar hostess and perpetual warmth to greet them. Nobody in recent memory would have seen it so quiet, but for the hours before dawn. The chandelier above the entrance swung silently in the light draft that wafted in from the street.

“Pardon us, is there anybody home?” The scholar asked, stepping forward. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Louise ran at his ankles, purring loudly.  
  
Ashei immediately dislodged one of the unlit candles beside the doorway and handed it to Auru, digging around in her own leather bag for flint.

“I wonder what could’ve caused our bar maiden to abandon her post?” The wiser man of the three contemplated.

Immediately, the other two were struck by the same realisation.

_The girl._

“Liza…! Oh heavens, no, I hope nothing bad has happened to them…” Shad sighed, feeling around the room for the nearest table.

“Who is this Liza? A new face in town?” Auru enquired.

“She is… well, she’s a new employee at the bar,” he explained in an effort to omit any suspicion from the charming girl. “She started yesterday and she’s been doing an admirable job, so far.”

“Is that so?”

“… We don’t actually know anything about her, you know,” Ashei said obtrusively, striking her flint over the candle. “She could have a dangerous history. Someone terrible could’ve followed her into town.” Though her visibility was low, she could now  _feel_ Shad glaring at her from across the darkened tavern.

“And what exactly should we have done then, Ashei? Thrown her _out?_ Let the inept fools who guard this city take her under their broken wing?”

“Shad –”

“We have given her the best chance at a normal life, here! I don’t suppose you saw fit to share any of these concerns with Telma, did you?”

The warrior paused for a moment in a clumsy attempt to avoid further conflict. It seemed to her as though they were hell-bent on arguing all week.   
  
“What I meant to say, Shad… was that there’s a lot going on at the moment,” she replied patiently. “That girl, Liza or whoever she _really_ is, she’s not the only refugee in this crisis. People all over Hyrule are being displaced and sooner or later, these problems are going to take hold of this town, too. These incidents are all connected… somehow.”

“It looks like I have a lot to catch up on in our meeting,” Auru said pointedly as he lit the other candles in the room.

“If it sounds like I’m blaming her, I’m not, you know.” Ashei defended. “But for Telma to suddenly close out of the blue? Don’t tell me that’s not suspicious.”

Shad angrily turned his attention to the main bar, finding a hand-written note from the proprietress herself. “… Sorry to leave on short notice,” he read aloud, angling the page into the light. “Liza and I have gone to Kakariko to save a Zora boy who collapsed outside. We are in the care of a swordsman in green, named Link. Please wait for us here… kisses and hugs, signed by Telma.”

“The plains surrounding Kakariko Village are full of monsters at the moment. One of their generals was seen there recently, gathering an army.” Auru informed darkly. “I hope that this ‘Link’ is as capable as they seem to believe.”

The scholar lay the letter to rest on the bench once again and pulled up a chair to collect his thoughts. “This is truly awful news, indeed. The three of them are in terrible danger,” he said quietly, now scratching a very eager cat behind her ears.

With things the way that they were at the present, he questioned the sanity of leaving Hyrule Castle Town in his wild search for the truth. Still, if the world were indeed coming to an end, wouldn’t it be the ideal and perhaps the _only_ time to leave?

“… A Zora made it all the way out here?” Ashei faltered, a rare occurrence which caught everyone off-guard. “… I wish I’d known. I’d have helped him myself.”

Shad and Auru looked up at her in unison.

“What happened on your travels, Ashei? Do you know something about the Zoras?” Auru asked perceptively.

The warrior let out a tired exhale, overcome with a strange mixture of guilt and apprehension. She knew that there was no point in waiting, as ineffectual as their position might seem. “I wanted to put off telling either of you until Rusl arrived, but… yeah. I noticed some strange weather patterns at Lake Hylia and went further up the river to check it out. It only got worse from there…” she said, shaking her head.

“The weather was… cold. Freezing cold.”

“At Zora’s River? But it normally has such a warm climate,” the scholar interjected.

“That’s exactly why it felt wrong. It began to snow and the Hylians who lived there said they hadn’t seen any Zoras around. So I followed the trail to their Domain. By the time I got there, whoever had done it was long gone. Queen Rutela was there… slain… and all the Zoras were frozen in the ice beneath her.”

“Oh… Ashei, that’s… horrible.”

“I couldn’t do anything – not alone. The best I could manage was to come here, where even our Princess Zelda is powerless to help.”

Shad wondered if this was behind some of the recent cracks in his friend’s otherwise indifferent exterior. He couldn’t recall a time in which they’d clashed so glaringly.

“I think this place is next. They’ve hit all the other towns now, haven’t they?” She asked, looking at the older gentleman in their midst.

“I can only confirm Lake Hylia, Kakariko and Ordon Village, in addition to Zora’s Domain.” Auru listed.

“But, yes… I would agree that Hyrule Castle Town is likely to be their next target.”

“Couldn't the issues at the castle already be proof of this interference?” Shad contemplated.

The sullen warrior made her way behind the bar, pouring herself a healthy amount of spirits. “I mean, yeah – it’s highly likely that they’re related – but whoever is behind it all loves to make a show of things. We’re in for something else. Something worse than our guards and Princess going quiet.”

What was going to _happen_ to this city?

And who would be left to defend it after the guards were stripped bare by the problems at the castle?

The ghastly image of the Zora queen in that throne room and her citizens trapped beneath her in the ice wasn’t going to disappear in a hurry.

“Anyone else?” Ashei offered with a shake of the bottle. Though she had only recently come of age, she certainly had the airs of a veteran when it came to liquor, and could more than hold her own.

“I certainly wouldn’t mind one, considering everything that’s happened,” came a new voice from the doorway. “Nice to see you’ve started the meeting without me!”

“Rusl!” Shad beckoned warmly.

A middle-aged helmeted swordsman stepped into the now generously lit bar, hanging his cloak onto the rack next to the door. “Forgive my lateness, I wasn’t able to join you earlier on account of my wife and son…” he explained, with obvious fatigue etched into his face.

“What ever happened to them? Are they safe?” the scholar gasped. The atmosphere in the room had grown tense, given the fact that Rusl and his wife Uli were also expecting a baby.

“Both are out of harm’s way, for the time being. It appears I have my apprentice to thank for that.”

“… You have an apprentice?” The warrior over the bar smirked, pouring Rusl a drink. “Maybe you should send them my way when they’re ready for some real survival training, yeah?”

“He’s a resourceful lad,” Rusl warned. “I wonder if even I have underestimated his abilities.”

* * *

“Link!!”   
  
The young swordsman looked to his side and saw Ilia at the reigns of Telma’s carriage horse, thundering dangerously fast across Hyrule Field.

“How are you doing that?!” he called out as she matched the speed of their own horse, Epona. It disheartened him to see that Ilia hadn’t batted an eyelid when the ordinarily distant mare approached her of her own accord.

 _“I don’t know!”_ Liza shouted, almost cheerful in her surprise. “But… I’ve got this! We’re losing them!!”

Link looked behind his shoulder and noticed that the hoard had dwindled into a sparse group of three or four Bulblins. Their red eyes and sickly green skin was seemingly luminous in the light of the moon – their wild boar mounts more powerful than they were fast. “Keep going! I’ll take care of the stragglers!”

Link pulled on the reigns and held back, swinging his sword to catch the attention of their foes.

In return, Liza gripped tighter to the leather in her hands and powered forward, doing her best to dampen the apprehension she felt for Link’s safety.

Why would a normal stranger go to such lengths to assist her and the boy? She wondered. And the strange manner in which he regarded her – it was like a mixture of _sadness_ and _relief_ – held back by some unspoken discipline.

_'What an odd thought…'_

_'Why would he be sad to see me?'_

_'Did I… do something… before?'_

“The road!!” Liza gasped, snapping back to the chaos at hand. She could feel their horse beginning to struggle under the weight and stress of the chase, taking the opportunity the swordsman gave them to ease up on their speed.

“Telma, which road do we take?”

“Steer right and we’ll take the shortcut through that gate,” the bar owner instructed, gripping the younger girl’s shoulder. “I have to say darling, you’ve certainly got your talents about you. Did I happen to pick up the best horse racer in Hyrule?”

Liza threw a tentative look over her shoulder and scanned the field for the swordsman.

The sound of distant hooves reverberated across the plain, followed by the discord of the monsters’ reptilian cries. She heard a loud thud as one of them hit the gravel. With a flash of silver it began to bleed profusely from its back, snarling at the others of its kind.

A barrage of fire arrows then flew into the sky with one of them breaking form as it bounced off the swordsman’s blade. Link’s attention flickered continuously between the carriage, Epona and the dwindling onslaught, which erupted sporadically from his left, right, and once more from behind.

One of the monsters called to the night, omitting a pattern of unpleasant growls.

_'That sound…_ _No, not that sound… please…'_

“T-Telma… I… can’t…” Liza felt herself begin to lose control, struggling to maintain a shaky grip on the reigns.

_'I have to get out of here.'_

Her face grew pale, awash with horror.  
  
_“I can’t do this!! They can’t catch us again...!”_    
  
She tried holding her breath to drown the wave of rapid breaths, her body suddenly wracked with an unfounded fear of a lack of oxygen.

“You’re doing so well,” Telma assured, taking over in one smooth motion. “But I can handle it from here. You should wait in the back and keep the boy company. Keep your eyes on him, he needs you.”

Liza pried herself mechanically from the front of the carriage and crawled next to the makeshift bed for the Zora. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him any longer than necessary, fearing the mistake it might have been to ride him all the way out here.

“… M-Mother… I…” he gasped.

The screeching cries of the two Kargaroks circling them from above were cut short by the whistling of arrows, swiftly felling them to the earth.

At once, Link and Epona pulled up next to the bar proprietress who halted for the gates.

“Is everyone alright?” he asked in between pants of breath.

“We’re fine honey, you’re doing commendably well so far. Can you get the lock?”

She watched as the young man dismounted in haste and dislodged the chains on the fence. His intense expression hardened further upon searching the horizon that lay behind them. “Get out of here, quickly! There’s more!” He cried. 

With a sharp strike, Telma’s horse bolted forward and Link fell behind once more to buy them time.

‘There’s still so many… Are there reinforcements in the hills? Didn’t I take care of their general?’   
  
His thoughts lingered momentarily before they were then, abruptly, cast aside.

The young hero felt his mind and body click into gear once again – one that seemed to take over when he had been thrust into danger. He’d come to informally recognise it as a ravager mode. He knew what needed to be done and used every weapon at his disposal to destroy, without mercy. The chaos only spurned Link forward, to feed his resolve, and with a mere twitch of his sword-arm, he set forth to cripple the enemy ranks.

“How are you both doing back there?” Telma enquired, keeping her voice audible but calm.

“I… I’m alright…” Liza replied, swallowing her breaths. “And so is he… he’s still talking…”

“We’re over halfway there, just a bit longer!”

Liza closed her eyes and counted the sounds in an effort to ground herself once more. She heard the faint roar of battle, the crack of reigns and the Zora boy’s stirring words. But then, all was interrupted when a loud explosion tore through the room, followed by the ignition of flames upon the canvas walls.

“Protect the boy! He won’t be able to handle the flames!” Telma’s warning rang out into the distance. In response, the lost girl threw herself over the prince, shielding him from the smoke and heat.

_'I have to get him out of here…_ _I won’t let them have him.'_

She saw the eyes of four younger children – vulnerable and terrified – looking to her for protection.

_“Ilia, I’m so scared. Where’s Link?”_

Meanwhile, the flames were spreading ravenously to the roof of the carriage.   
  
She then remembered a boy strapped to the general’s war mount – tusks protruding from the hulking metal armour.

_“I know he won’t give up until he finds us!”_

The horse was in a panic and the room began to quake.

She watched as her own hands released the chains and the children fled beyond the camp, into the night.

_“Go now…! To Kakariko Village!!”_

The thundering hooves grew louder and louder.

She saw Link… Face-down… in the spring… and blood everywhere, soaked through his clothes, unraveling in the waters.   
  
His left arm had been brutally dismembered… she’d watched the blade come down in full, visceral horror… and he was no longer moving. She’d watched him die.

_Link._

_'Please, no. Not like this._ _SPIRIT OF ORDONA, PLEASE…'_  
  
_'YOU HAVE TO SAVE HIM!!'_  
  
“LINK!!” she screamed.  


And then, the world around her exploded at once.

A vicious gale tore into the carriage and the smoke fell down through the floor. The sound of the hooves crashed into an empty silence. Everything had stopped moving. Ilia – deaf to the world and frozen in fear – gripped tightly onto her face, her eyes wide in shock.

What was real? Her memories were all so… fragmented. But the haunting logic in her mind knew that if some of it was, then all of it had to be.   
  
It all had to be real…

 _'My name. What was my name?'_  
  
She woke to the vague feeling of hands on her shoulders and the sensation of being shaken.

“Ilia…. ILIA!!”  
  
The blue-eyed swordsman had a look of utter despair on his face. She saw that he was crying, no longer able to contain the fear that was holding him back at the bar.

“Please, tell me you’re alright! I’m sorry I couldn’t get to you faster! I’m sorry…”

Telma watched as the scene unfolded before her from the drivers’ rest, the room around them at a complete standstill. The Zora boy lay peacefully upon the wooden floor, untouched by the flames.

“… Link.”

At once, the young man felt crushed by the weight of his relief. “Il – I mean _Liza_ – I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to endanger you all.”

The girl exhaled slowly and regarded the swordsman with a newfound calm.

“I’m so glad you’re okay,” he breathed. “It’s over now.”

Ilia looked beyond the burned husk of the carriage and saw the ghastly remains of several monsters strewn across the field, mixed within the footprints of their mounts. A strange emotion washed over her at once, as though she had blinked and found herself in the grip of some wild, improbable future.

So much had changed. But more importantly, the four of them were alive.

“Link…? Link, it’s… _me,”_ she said hoarsely.   
  
The swordsman regarded her with a look of total bewilderment, unsure of whether to believe.

“It’s Ilia. I didn’t mean to worry anyone…”

She felt Link’s arms embrace her once again and leaned into their touch. The sensation of his tears soaking into her shoulder pulled her head-first into the present.


	5. Clock Strikes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance is reunited and Telma returns home with Ilia, who has recovered most of her memories. Shad is thankful for the news and wants to meet the new mystery recruit mentioned by Telma. 
> 
> Ashei finds Shad in the town square at midnight. They discuss the dire state of Hyrule before an earth-shattering event takes hold.

**Chapter 5 – Clock Strikes**

“They’re here!”

The Resistance members waited on Telma for two days – their rendezvous kicked off by a series of grim reports detailing the lawless state of Hyrule. In spite of the situation at hand their meeting was eventually broken up by humorous anecdotes from their travels, which began to eclipse each other in their absurdity.

On occasion the odd customer would show up to tap on the window, failing to read the ‘closed’ sign on the door. It seemed as though the neighbourhood only cared to return to their evening festivities.

The scholar, feeling more on edge than he could bear, had volunteered to hold down their post and collaborate their reports while his contemporaries ventured out to make use of the local blacksmith and markets. On the second morning, it was him who had spotted their dear friend in tow with her new employee, using the balcony overhanging the bar as a study area.

And, thankfully, neither of them appeared to be worse for wear.

“Glad to have you back, old friend,” Rusl welcomed, opening the door before the proprietress could get the keys out of her bag.

“It’s good to _be_ back,” Telma said with an unusually tired smile, embracing him with a single arm. Louise appeared at the bar owner’s side and meowed in greeting.

“Auru is out at the moment but all of us are in town now. We weren’t quite sure what to make of your sudden adventure,” the swordsman laughed lightly.

“I’m relieved to see you all actually listened and waited for me here. We got that boy the help he needed to pull through, no thanks to a _very_ talented shaman and my new girl here. I believe you’re from the same town!”

Rusl looked beyond the doorway to see Ilia standing there in the morning sun, her clothes only slightly covered in dust.

“Oh my… Ilia?”

She crashed into the arms of the older man, ecstatic to be reunited with her village’s sworn protector.   
  
“Rusl!! I had no idea you were friends with Telma!”

“Ilia, we’ve been looking _everywhere_ for you! Your _father_ – he will be overjoyed to hear of your safety! All of us were incredibly worried after we found the kids safe but you’d vanished without a trace…”

Ilia took a step back, her face radiating warmth. “My f-father… yes, I must write to him. He needs to know I’m okay.”

Certain details of her past were still vague and seemed to only be activated by certain words, sounds and colours. She’d even needed Link to remind her of Epona’s song. But in spite of this, Ilia could recall the love and safety of her home – she knew that writing to her family was of the utmost importance. Though, she were almost afraid to ask how much time had passed since she had been stolen away from her home.

“Well, Telma, I believe that you mentioned a girl of a different name in your letter… along with a certain swordsman?” Rusl indicated to his friend. It was a perceptive question, kept in the confines of a casual tone.

“So I did,” the proprietress replied with a wink. “There’s quite a bit for us to catch up on. It’s been an eventful week.”

“Telma – Liza – what a relief!” a voice called from the stairs.

“… Shad!”

The auburn-haired scholar rushed to the doorway and caught Ilia as she embraced him, unabashedly, overflowing with happiness. His glasses were dislodged in the sudden encounter and sat crooked on his face.

“Shad, I got my memory back! Well… most of it...” she beamed. “Thank you for waiting for us, and for your kindness to me before… I decided to come back here, to work for Telma.”

“I-I see! That’s wonderful news! I am truly ecstatic, for your memory and for the fact that neither of you appear to be hurt,” he laughed nervously, fighting the sensation of butterflies that had exploded within him upon Ilia’s greeting. “I should very much like to hear about your journey later.”

“Oh, I should tell you my name… it’s actually Ilia,” she smiled, pulling away. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Properly.”

“I-Ilia? My apologies then, I shall endeavor to use your real name.”

“It’s a very pretty name,” Telma concurred, briefly squeezing the scholar’s shoulder in greeting. “And she’s from Ordon village, just like our Rusl... and quite possibly a new member for our organisation…”

“A new member? Well, well… that sounds interesting,” Shad said amusedly.

All of the commotion had stirred the dark-haired warrior from upstairs, who quietly made her way down to the bar floor. Her expression softened upon seeing the bar owner, as exuberant as always.   
  
“Hey.” She said, simply.

“Ashei honey, it’s good to see you.” Telma welcomed, pulling the usually intimidating girl into a casual hug. The bar owner happened to be one of the few people who could get away with touching her – at the very least without gaining a couple of broken fingers in the process.

“Good to have you back… Ilia, is it?” the warrior asked, turning her attention to the barmaid. It was obvious that she had heard more of their conversation than she had missed.

The ash-blonde girl nodded, regarding Ashei for the first time. She appeared to be more amicable than before, whether it was out of the relief of having her sense of self restored, or having saved the life of the boy in her care.

Her green eyes gleamed with surprise as she finally addressed her. “You’re Ashei, right? I’ve heard good things about you!”

“…. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier, yeah? I’m glad you got your memory back…” the warrior smirked. “To be honest, I’m not used to dealing with new people… so until then, I’ll probably come off as rude.”

“Well, I’m uh – sorry about your clothes,” Ilia laughed nervously. “They were hanging outside when we left.”

“It’s fine… y’know, they’re yours. You can keep them.”

“Oh, thank you! I’ll take good care of them.”

Shad felt his curiosity piqued by the rarity of the situation – he’d never known Ashei to keep many possessions at all, let alone give something as intimate as her pajamas to a total stranger. Was it pure detachment on her part or a gesture of goodwill?

“Does that mean you’re finally going clothes shopping?” Telma asked with a glimmer in her eye.

“I don’t need _stuff_ cluttering up our headquarters, okay? But yes, I suppose I could use a spare set…” Ashei bristled. “You’re not coming with me.”

“Will you at least try something on? You never know, it could be a welcome change.”

“Well in that case, what are we waiting for? Shall I hang up my sword and retire this afternoon, seeing as I won’t be needing this armour to keep the arrows out…?” she contemplated sarcastically, arms folded.

"It's just an idea honey, the world won't end because you decided to try on something different."

"Or at least if it does, you will be dressed for the occasion." Shad interjected with a faux-serious look.

"I hope you two can fit in some sword-practice, until then…" the warrior growled.

"Would you be kind enough to remind us which end to use?"

Ashei rolled her eyes at the scholar’s facetiousness and punched him lightly on the arm.

Ilia herself was awfully entertained by the odd dynamics of the group – she’d never been around so many younger people, or at the very least, adults who didn’t work on a farm with their family. She could recall mediating between the groups of people in her town, however the particulars of the situations were lost.

Part of her wondered if she had shirked some duty to stay in Kakariko with the rest of the children from Ordon. Each of them had cried in relief upon seeing her after their ordeal, joyous in the knowledge that their caretaker was indeed alive. But after seeing the lengths that Telma had gone to save her and Prince Ralis, who at the time was nothing more than an unfamiliar child, Ilia felt driven to repay her kindness – even if that meant balancing empty glasses and plates into the kitchen.

And Hyrule Castle Town certainly had its own enchanting ambience, as though nothing beyond its walls could shake it.

She had come to like this place.

“I can’t wait for you all to meet Link!” Ilia piped up with enthusiasm. “I might not be able to do much for your cause but he’s strong – and capable. He’ll be able to handle anything you throw his way.”

“With all of the news, it sounds like he’s come a long way from my lessons.” Rusl attested, looking to Telma. “So I take it he’s your latest inductee, then?”

“That’s right, I’ve invited him to meet you all the next time he’s in town. I think we’ll all be able to help each other out.”

“You referred to him as the ‘swordsman in green’….” Shad thought to himself, aloud. He knew that it sounded familiar but he couldn’t quite place his finger on why. What _exactly_ did that remind him of?

“You don’t think that…?” Ashei said in a sceptical tone, catching his gaze in response.

Then, Shad remembered the actor from the streets. “… That boy in the costume? Ah… if only! Can you imagine how priceless that would be?” he laughed softly.  
  
Some small part of him delighted in the irony of that scenario, as improbable as it might’ve seemed. That a real person could indeed be going around and performing heroic deeds in the heroes’ tunic? It was too much.  
  
“I’m sure it’ll be quite a surprise for you both.” Telma said, observing the two with some hidden amusement. Any laughs resulting from the encounter were definitely going to be at their expense. 

Ashei then tilted her head towards their meeting table in the corner.   
  
“In the meantime, let’s recap everything we know and decide where to go from there.”

“I’m going to open up in an hour or so, so keep the arguing to a minimum,” the proprietress warned them all, playfully.

Ilia looked to the table and noticed that somebody punched a knife through the map that they'd obviously been using during the meeting. She decided _not_ to ask.

* * *

It was twenty minutes until midnight on the town plaza clock that was situated upon one of the gate pillars before Hyrule Castle.

The fortified walls of the square were bathed in the blue, rippling light of the fountain, imbuing a sense of calm upon the few citizens who were wandering the streets at such an hour. And the city guards, already scarce, were reduced to all but two men who would occasionally scan the square in between the hushed tones of their own conversation.

Feeling almost as though she didn’t belong to the tranquility, Ashei wandered the streets, lost in thought.

Though it felt nothing short of a blessing to have the Resistance united and Telma’s Bar up and running again – she wondered how long the peace would last. None of their discussions had alleviated any of her concerns for the future of Hyrule. And from what she'd _heard_ of their ruling monarch, Princess Zelda hadn’t been seen in a long time. Gossip on the streets attributed this to some sort of phobia of the public – but it seemed out of character for a figure who was so universally loved, and who was once so readily involved in the city’s events.

The secrecy shrouding Hyrule Castle had since given it an ominous character. It loomed over the city like a bomb that could explode at any time.

Turning away, Ashei went to take the southern exit from the plaza before spotting Shad at the fountain. She noticed that the usual array of notes that accompanied the scholar on the nearest surface were in fact closed, and he looked to the distance, lost in thought. Her efforts _not_ to catch his attention were futile, though admittedly she hadn’t tried very hard.

“Good evening,” he called out with some obvious relief for the diversion.

“Oh… uh, hey...” she greeted in a tired voice. “What are you doing out here so late?” Ashei took a seat upon the nearest space by the fountain, carefully avoiding any of the books.

Shad smiled softly before looking out upon the town once more. “I am partial to using the outdoors for processing some of my work,” he replied, “which in this case, happens to be our reports.”

Between Rusl’s account of the dangers in the south, Auru’s knowledge of the armies gathering beyond the roads and Ashei’s report on the state of Zora’s Domain, Hyrule appeared to be in a dismal state. Nobody could be sure on where to begin – and even then, it looked to be a series of efforts that would have to be undertaken individually.

There simply weren’t enough people on board to help.

“… To me, it just looks like complete and utter chaos. But I know that’s too brief of a conclusion to help our situation,” the warrior sighed. “What do _you_ make of all this?”

“It is… disconcerting, to say the least,” the scholar began, with a crumpled brow. "The frequency and intensity of these attacks seem to indicate an enemy interest in places of reverence – certainly, they have been targeting towns and settlements beyond our town – but none without a landmark of significance nearby.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way. If that’s the case, we’d at least have a framework for concentrating our efforts, yeah?”

Shad had then presented a map – one that hadn’t been pinned to their meeting table – and gestured to each of the respective areas as he spoke. “The Faron region, perhaps the least familiar to our modern history, hides a wealth of ruins. Then, there are the rumours surrounding the Goron Mines and Lakebed Temple at the foot of the river. If we collaborate those with yours and Auru’s accounts, then they appear to be central to the attacks. The only regions unaffected so far are Snowpeak, to the north and the Gerudo desert, to the west.”

“I know the Snowpeak region fairly well,” Ashei said quietly, thinking back to her last experience on the field. “… With what happened to the Zoras, it was like… somebody pulled down that mountain and used it to freeze the river. Like two worlds that should never cross were being used against one another.”

“Curious. Terrible – _of course_ – but curious, all the same,” Shad frowned, conscious of his awe being confused for indifference.

“Has any of this had an impact on your own research?”

“I… there is no definitive proof, not yet, anyway.”

“I’ve been keeping an eye out on my travels just incase… but I haven’t seen much that couldn’t be explained, until now. Even the laws of the natural world are in disarray,” Ashei contemplated. As somebody who had little to do with prophecies or magic, it was difficult to explain any of the changes that had taken hold of the physical realm – the wilderness – whose beauty was cultivated by its lack of interference with the human world.

“What do you mean?” Shad enquired, genuinely intrigued.

“It started with the little things, like the animals disappearing. Then the carnivorous plants from the forest began spreading like weeds. Soon, I noticed the changes in the weather and in… the light of the sun at the end of the day…” she trailed off. “It just feels so cold and… distant. I know that sounds _crazy._ But I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t know what to believe anymore.”

An uncomfortable pause broke the flow of their conversation before the scholar blinked in surprise.

“Well, you’ve never been wrong –” he began, biting his tongue after the guarded look that it had earned him. “That is – I mean to say that you have certainly have the _experience_ and the _skill_ to back up your words. If you have a gut feeling with regards to the current state of affairs, I would wager it pointing to the truth. Every time.”

“The only credential I have is my life, I guess…” the warrior laughed, callously. “But survival isn’t enough. I need to become stronger, so that I can defend Hyrule when the time comes.”

Something inside of the scholar snapped, to see her make such a self-depreciating comment.

“You are already… indomitable.”

The words came out again without a lack of filter and Shad knew that he had made some mistake – from the confusion in Ashei’s eyes to the searing heat that began to creep onto his face. “I-I mean… I’ve never seen you flinch at… anything,” he clarified, quickly. “You are always so focused and unmovable – you are rather a force to be reckoned with. I don’t believe that strength is what you lack, in the slightest. If there is anything that you want to achieve, you just set out and do it!”

“It never comes… just like that… for me,” Ashei shrugged.

“Then it is all the more admirable. I wish I had that drive to finish my own work, as improbable as it is.”

“Admirable. Huh.”

For a moment it seemed to work. She stopped looking at him with that expression and turned her attention to the ground – he wondered by her tone whether she’d found the compliment amusing. But what followed was even worse.

“Then why do I feel so… _powerless?”_ she said faintly.

A thick silence followed the exchange and Ashei hated herself for talking too much, turning away in discomfort.  
  
The warrior considered it shameful to let anyone see the doubt that had continued to plague her, well beyond her last assignment, with so much riding on the Resistances’ efforts to restore peace. And she'd pushed this vulnerability as far as she _could_ into the recesses of her mind, so that she could _focus,_  because Hyrule needed it more than ever. But... now and then, it would erupt in red  _flashes_  and she would lose her temper. Fighting for control only made it worse because it entertained the notion that she was in fact, afraid.

The worst part was, she really didn’t want to be that person anymore.   
  
“… I didn’t mean to get all heavy on you, yeah? I think I’m just tired.”

Recognising the level of discomfort their conversation had stirred in his friend, Shad swept his belongings into a bag and rose from the fountain edge. “Perhaps we should retire for the night? If you’ll walk back, with me,” he'd smiled, in an effort to restore her pride.

“… Yeah, alright.”

It was then that a faint shudder rocked the ground, echoing into the earth as quickly as it had been detected. Both Resistance members looked to the pavement in disbelief and then to the guards in the square, gauging their reaction. The other citizens on the streets carried on about their business, oblivious.

“Did you…”

“Feel something?”

The sky above the castle began to snap with some invisible energy, like lightning, as flecks of light pierced through the night and rained down onto the pavement. And the guards, now rattled beyond belief, could only look up and watch – their weapons pointed, without protocol.

Another rumble – _much louder_ – shook the town.

“You need to get out of here,” Ashei warned as her fingers closed around the hilt of her sword.

Suddenly, the windowpanes of the buildings began to burst and shards of glass started to rain down onto the street. Muffled shouting erupted from nearby houses, house lights scattered in the distance and cats poured out from the alleys, fleeing the vicinity of the town plaza.

Ashei drew her blade and stared up at the castle in abhorrence. “Get the others and leave town. Now.” She said flatly.

“No,” Shad refused, pulling them both away from the debris. “I’m not running anywhere! Whatever happens to this town, I need to see it.”

“You idiot! Just stay behind me!”

As abruptly as the commotion began, all the sound and chaos of the square was blotted out by a magic wall that tore across the horizon – barricading the castle into a terrible prism of black and gold. Tendrils of light swirled from the base of the barrier to the sky, dwarfing the town in its shadow.

It was more than enough to draw the attention of the citizens, many of whom were now standing in the streets in their nightwear.

Hyrule Castle Town was now profoundly _awake_ in terror.


	6. After Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A riot breaks out in the town square upon the seizure of Hyrule Castle by an unknown power. Shad attempts to defuse tensions between parties.
> 
> Ilia and Ashei treat his injuries at the bar, holding very different reactions.

**Chapter 6 – After Midnight**

The ordinarily nonchalant citizens of Hyrule Castle Town were gathered in a spectacle that could almost be described as a riot, if not for their unthreatening attire and distinct lack of pitchforks.

The streets were awash with activity: families ushered children out of their homes while others hurried with bags that were obviously intended for a trip beyond the gates. All were mingled with horrified onlookers and the occasional reveller, who would gawk humorously or tip their drink of choice up at the monstrosity in the sky.

More problematically, a mob containing some of the town’s top merchants, guild members and councillors had gathered before the castle’s gate towers. And they were set on heckling the two lone guards who stood between the castle and the public, keeping some distance from the foot of the magic barrier.

“What’s going on at the castle?!”

“Where’s Princess Zelda?!”

“I pay rates for a _safe_ town! You need to do something about this!!”

In retaliation, the guards’ spears were pointed menacingly toward the crowd – for their own safety, they’d insisted.

“We demand to speak to your superiors!!”

“… Will the Royal Family be compensating me for the drop off in business?”

One of the guards began to shout back at the protest, his eyes obscured by his helmet.

“EVERYBODY! BACK TO YOUR HOMES!”

“Sir! Madam, please! Nobody crosses… _the line!”_ The other guard fumbled, creating a feeble line of loose arrows along the pavement.

The warrior and the scholar were watching the rapidly unfolding scene in disbelief. Were it not for the seriousness of the situation, it would almost be comical – the town was set on tearing itself apart in confusion and those with the burden of keeping order, foolishly ill-equipped as they were, had no power over the townspeople. A political vacuum had taken hold of Hyrule Castle Town without the famed Princess Zelda at its helm, and now its citizens were paying the price.

“What do these idiots honestly think to achieve by shouting at the guards? Look at them – nobody knows what to do.” Ashei said, contemptuously.

“They’re _scared,”_ Shad defended. “Everybody was already on edge from when the castle closed its gates and Princess Zelda vanished.”

“Really? All I’ve seen the townspeople do is work and drink and carry on like nothing else is happening in the world.”

Shad stifled a laugh at his friend’s trademark bluntness. “… Perhaps it looks like that on the outside – but I know this town. There’s been significant doubt in the public psyche. Trade has been awful and there’s resurgent talk of the war on the streets, and in the papers.”

“Sealing the castle away with magic? I’d call that a declaration of war,” the warrior scowled, glancing at him sideways. “So, what do we do now? Think it’s time we head back to the others?”

The scholar opened his mouth to respond before he was abruptly shoved aside by new members of the expanding crowd. More and more people decided to join the fray in the square, and it became less clear as to whether they were shouting their grievances at the guards, or at the castle itself.

“… Some survival instinct, huh.” Ashei rolled her eyes.

“This is… complete and utter bedlam! It’s getting worse!”

“We should _go,_  yeah? There’s nothing more we can do here. Let them be mad at the wrong people.”

The scholar, however intelligent and socially artful he appeared to be at times, considered himself a mouse in the face of such anarchy. His usual reasoning would have led to prying himself from the crowd and then gathering the resources to assist Resistance members out of the spotlight.

But something about this protest felt very wrong – as though it were something… totally _preventable._

Upon observing Ashei’s reaction, Shad had come to realise that she had given up on the town. Her eyes, a warm flare of sienna, were narrowed in disgust as she calculated whether the unpredictable mass of anger was worth tangling with. Though her weapon remained sheathed for the time being, her hand was poised to strike at a moment’s notice.

“Somebody needs to do something.”

Shad recognised the stupidity of putting himself between the mob and the guards – with little benefit – apart from upholding the collective safety of the people in the square.

‘Surely the shouting and protests will dissipate on their own?’ he reasoned. ‘And the guards will soon receive whatever backup remains beyond the trappings of the castle, itself?’ But when some of the more ‘respectable’ members of society began to push their way to the front, the scholar knew that he’d had enough. Something had to be done. And nobody else in the town appeared game to lead by example.

“If you’ll excuse me…” Shad said, steadying the warrior’s sword-arm before making his way into the crowd.

Ashei glared at the back of his head with an incredulous expression. “Wh- Shad! What are you doing?”

“No more fighting on my behalf!” he called, over his shoulder.

“These people are _unreasonable!_ You’ll get yourself hurt!”

Edging through the mob became increasingly difficult as the scholar drew closer to the front. In a strange way, it felt liberating to break form and dive into the thick of the mess, consequences be damned. And the crowd density only seemed to confirm the state of things – that there really was no turning back now. The scholar was committed to the path ahead.

Upon emerging from a row of particularly stubborn merchants, Shad climbed onto the side of the bridge that stretched between the town and the castle gate itself. Some short distance away, at the very end of the road, stood the colossal barrier.

The scholar grabbed onto a nearby post for support, before he turned to address the crowd.

“Attention – _attention please_ – good people of Hyrule!”

At first the raucous din of the protesters drowned out his words, but after noticing the young man atop of the barricade, their conservations dwindled into a restless hum. When Shad realised that he had most of the crowd’s attention, he felt his heart fluttering in the depths of his throat.

‘Oh heavens…’

And the air surrounding the barrier felt very much alive, like electricity scattering wildly throughout the atmosphere. Knowing that he didn’t have long to capitalise on the group’s hesitation, he continued to speak.

“This is a problem that _cannot_ be solved today! Please return to your homes! For your own safety and for that of the Royal guards!”

“Why won’t they tell us what’s going on?!” one member of the crowd shouted back.

“Who put you in charge?”

The scholar took a deep breath before continuing the projection.  _“We are all_ feeling some collective frustration at the lack of transparency! _We want answers!_ But we need to put our safety first – by moving away from the…” he looked to the sheepish guard on his left, who was hunched over a makeshift exclusion zone made from loose arrows, “… from the _line!!”_

A tentative quiet had fallen over the square and one could begin to hear the song of the barrier – a low, menacing chord, which might have been missed by human ears at first instance.

“We need to go home and stay alert – and be ready to leave if anything changes! Princess Zelda would want-”

“What would you know about the Princess?” sneered a man who had the appearance of an upper-class citizen. “Nobody has seen her in weeks!”

Shad threw a withering look to the meddler. “I beg your pardon, good sir. I am advocating for social cohesion in this matter, as it appears that nobody else will.”

“Cohesion?! You would have us run home while the _dogs_ that run this town come up with some cover story for this despicable state of affairs! We deserve better!”

“Please sir, now is not the time-”

 _“You do not run this town, you snivelling upstart!”_ The gentleman promptly shoved the scholar out of the way and then jousted into position in front of the guards. “We demand answers! The people of Hyrule Castle Town will not stand for your incompetence any longer!” he'd shouted at the men in uniform, who were clearly outnumbered a hundred-to-one. 

Shad heard the crowd begin to holler back in response, uncertain as to whether the sound was one of approval or displeasure. But one thing was certain – he was losing control of the situation.

“You will not endanger any more people here today,” the scholar interrupted, rounding on the antagonist with some ferocity. “Take your petty complaints to the local gazette and _do something useful, for a change.”_  For a moment he wondered whether the momentary break in personality had persuaded the noble, who appeared to be at a loss for words.

But the pause was short-lived.

Shad was certain that he’d heard his name somewhere in the crowd before a fist collided with his face, erupting into a flash of light and pain.

* * *

“Are you both okay?” Ilia gasped, immediately rising to her feet from the bar table.

Ashei and Shad failed to close the door behind them as they shuffled in awkwardly through the entryway – in the most undashing display of coordination the scholar had ever assembled. He leaned upon the steely girl for support and clutched his face with a free hand.   
  
Though the warrior were not accustomed to carrying other people around, she hadn’t minded it so much after seeing Shad stand up to some self-important highborn. With some surprise, she’d also noticed that he was remarkably light on his feet… and that he smelled vaguely of something nice, like cinnamon.

“Oh Shad honey, what happened to you?” Telma asked from behind the bar, with a frown.

“There was a riot in the square. He tried to fight it with words.” Ashei smirked, in spite of herself.

“It in’t fubhy…” the scholar groaned, his voice muffled by the hand covering his nose.

Upon closer inspection, the proprietress noticed blood splattered upon his shirt and without another word, poured him a drink.

“You should sit down.” Ilia instructed, briskly. The young barmaid pulled up a chair and then ducked into the kitchen, presumably to fetch something that was going to help, as Shad settled into the new support.   
  
Telma then glanced at the two troublesome Resistance members with a raised eyebrow. “What was the cause of all that commotion outside? There are people running in the streets.” 

“Someone… summoned a magic barrier around Hyrule Castle. It’s been cut off from town,” Ashei explained tiredly. “Nothing else has happened so far but we need to keep an eye on the situation. Be ready for anything, yeah?”

“Oh for the love of…” the proprietress cursed in a low voice. “I just knew there was something wrong with that castle! I’m going take a look at it myself, if you don’t mind." As Telma reached the door, she looked over her shoulder once more.   
  
“… I know this isn’t really the best time, but did either of you happen to see Louise outside?”

“Can’t say that I have,” Ashei shrugged.

“She’s been out for a long time… and she missed her dinner, which is highly unusual…” Telma tsk-ed, double-checking the windows of the bar. They were situated some distance from the town square, which meant that the building was still fully intact.

“I’bm sure she… bhill be back.” Shad struggled, feeling a fresh sting from the movement in his face.

“Well, I’ll return soon. Hold down the fort for me, won’t you all?”

And with the toll of the door chimes, the redhead was gone.

Ilia soon returned to the shaken young man and pulled up a table beside him, placing upon it a generous roll of gauze and a towel with cold water. “Tilt your head back for me?” She asked, already physically directing him to do so. The gentleness of her hands on his face hadn’t been lost on the scholar, his face already flushed from the pain.

“And you’ll need to move your hand, so that you can use these.”   
  
The barmaid began to tear strips off of the roll of gauze and made a pointing-upwards motion along her nose.

Shad could only look back at her in protest, as talking was still terribly painful. Removing pressure from the area of impact was the last thing that he wanted to do. “Couldh you both… bplease… turn around?” he implored. “I… tbink my nbose… bhight be broken….”

The girls looked at each other just once before they obliged the self-conscious man.

“You’re still going to be you, broken nose or not,” Ilia teased, shaking her head.

“For the record, I think this roughed-up look suits you. Nobody would wanna mess with you after today,” the warrior commented, before turning around to face the wall.

The scholar hissed quietly as he began to dress the injury. After a brief pause, he shotted the drink that Telma had left in his midst.

“… You had any medical training?” Ashei enquired.

“Oh, no I haven’t really,” Ilia admitted with some measured amusement. “I’ve dealt with the odd broken nose and a couple of work injuries out on the farm. It also helps when someone you know hurts themselves all of the time.”

“You seem good at this sort of thing.”

“Well, thank you.”

After an acceptable amount of time had passed, the two turned around to see Shad with a relatively clean face and gauze lodged within his nose in an effort to stop the bleeding.

“So, taking on an entire riot, huh?” Ashei said, with an odd smile.

“… Yes, yes…” the scholar conceded. He’d made peace with the audacity of his actions but in hindsight, he wouldn’t have handled it any other way – apart from dodging the connecting blow.

“Honestly Shad, what a reckless thing to do!” Ilia exclaimed. She scowled in such a manner made her look vaguely threatening. “You could’ve been seriously hurt and then you’d be in no position to help anyone!”

“It was incredibly stupid to go in there without a plan. Like, really stupid. I’d never have expected that from you.” Ashei commented airily with her arms folded.

“Are you both… _scolding_ me?” Shad asked, doing his best not to smile and send fresh waves of pain across his face. It had cheered him up to see the fire returned to the younger girl’s personality.

“You should know better.” Ilia huffed.

“I should’ve stopped it,” the warrior began. “But it was also… kind of awesome to see you stand up to the entire town like that. Quite a few people started to leave once you were uh – escorted out of there.”

“… I… oh…” The scholar blinked in surprise. “… I am thankful, then… to have done the right thing.”

“That stupid noble went back to harping on about Zelda of course, but eventually they stopped listening. Too boring.”

Ilia leaned forward and took a closer inspection of the scholar’s hastily patched-up nose. “We’ll need to keep an eye on the swelling. I hope that’s all it is because the local doctor is totally useless,” she said, delicately.

“I pray… that is not the case…”

“If you were hit square on, then it should be okay,” the barmaid nodded, taking a step back. “Hopefully they didn’t get an angle on you.”

“How can you be sure?” Ashei enquired.

To everyone’s surprise, Ilia began to laugh. “… I remember Link flying face-first into the fence when one of our more difficult goats charged him... he tried so hard not to let us see how much it really hurt! But he ended up fine, if a bit sore.”

“… You’re telling me that a goat got the better of this so-called amazing swordsman, then?” the warrior smiled, now positively entertained.

“Oh, well he wasn’t a swordsman to begin with,” Ilia corrected. “He was actually our best farm-hand, he worked mostly with animals.”

“Not that there’s anything wrong with that but – this is the same guy who single-handedly emptied two fields of monsters, yeah?”

“Goddesses, I knew that Rusl was experienced but… what tricks did he pull out of that helmet… to manage such an impressive feat of training?” Shad muttered, apply a fresh dab of cool water onto his face. “Surely this Link fellow… was in the wrong profession all along…”

“Maybe…” Ilia contemplated. “I got the feeling that he was… always going to leave our town. I just never thought it would be like this.”

“Well, I can’t wait to work alongside him,” Ashei decided. “After all, I can’t let my skills fall behind some new kid.”

“He’ll appreciate having others to help,” the barmaid said with a cryptic smile. “We all put so much onto him and he’s never complained. Still, I wonder how he’s doing out there, alone…”

“Some people work best by themselves.”

The scholar lethargically rose to his feet, steadying himself with a hand on the table. “Forgive me, ladies… but I believe I should be making my way home…” he yawned. “It is incredibly late… and if I’m to be of any use tomorrow… I must rest…”

“You can’t.” Ashei interrupted sternly as Ilia pressed his shoulders back down into the chair.

“Shad, you might have a _concussion,”_ the ash-blonde girl informed him, with an awkward smile. “So it’s best if you sit up for a while longer. We’ll do our best to keep you awake though, right Ashei?”

“… Uh… yeah.”   
  
The warrior reconciled that she wouldn’t be able to sleep after immediately witnessing the siege on Hyrule Castle. In addition to this, her friend looked to be in a terrible state... and the fact that Shad, of all people, had nearly gotten into a fight was _oddly_  amusing. 

“Great, I’ll make us some coffee.” Ilia offered before disappearing into the bar area once again.


	7. Fateful Nerve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shad moves out of home and comes to live with Ilia and Telma at the bar. 
> 
> Ashei returns to town with news about the Zoras when Link interrupts proceedings at the Resistance table... much to the horror of those who disparaged him on the street.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks for your reviews/kudos! I spent so long setting everyone up, I think now we can finally get started. xD;

**Chapter 7 – Fateful Nerve**

A week had passed since the barrier enveloped Hyrule Castle, its townspeople – initially scrambling for some semblance of explanation and order – returning to their lives in spite of the disruption.

While some citizens could not bear to look at the apocalyptic reminder in the sky and moved out of the potential destruction zone, many others were content to carry on with their business as usual. The surrounding skies were blue and the sun continued to rise each morning, but by the twilight hours it would eclipse the castle itself and drown the city in a muted aura of gold.

The usual array of customers stopped by Telma’s Bar in the evenings, though the mood had devolved from one of festivity into a shaded corner of the world where one could choose to forget the calamity outside. A subdued atmosphere did little to dampen efforts from the Resistance who were essentially on-call for the rest of Hyrule.

“Well, I suppose this is farewell.” Shad concluded as he locked the door.   
  
It had been two days since Ashei left town, with the resident scholar taking advantage of the present afternoon to carry the last of his moving boxes into the bar. He was accompanied by Ilia, who was only too happy to volunteer her day off to assist. Together they stood at the door of the terraced house, looking it over a final time.

“Shad… I’m sorry about your home,” the younger girl said with a frown, looking to the pavement as they turned to leave.

“It is no trouble. Well, in actuality, it is rather a pain to have to move all of these books,” he sighed softly. “But I am lucky to have somewhere to go until my situation improves. I imagine that these times have brought worse living arrangements onto others. I count myself as very fortunate, indeed.”

“We’re both so lucky to have Telma,” she considered as they took to the streets. “But just think, once you finish your work you’ll be unstoppable.”

“Ah… yes…” the scholar trailed off, also averting his gaze. After a momentary pause, he continued in a light-hearted tone. “I suppose the first thing I will do, after sorting out any arrears of course, is cover any of the remaining tabs at the bar. After all, Telma is my sole patron now.”

“What else will you do once you finish your book? I don’t see you as the… fishing type.” The career-path of an academic was very much a mystery to Ilia as nobody from Ordon village seemed to fit the bill.

“It will never end!” Shad laughed. “There will only be more books, and the occasional presentation or debate once I garner some more critics. I look forward to the occasion.”

“Really? It’s just that… I thought that there would be a bigger reward for all of this work.”

“The reward is of course, to uncover the mystery of the sky. That is my dream.” He replied with dead certainty. “I have no use for material gains like money – erm, that is, for frivolous pursuits – or fame. I only wish to traverse the realms of knowledge that we have long forgotten, and to bring them to the attention of ordinary people today. I want to inspire others to follow their passions… though, it would be tempting to omit any mention of my being homeless from any future autobiographies.”

Ilia looked at him sideways in response to the odd remark.

“But if you succeeded in spite of that, then wouldn’t your story be all the more interesting?”

“Perhaps… I imagine it will also be used to hold people accountable for their life choices.” He remarked as they passed the outlandishly cloaked street-performer in front of the star tent, posing for his adoring fans. The farm girl never knew what to make of these kookier city types but she found them entertaining all the same.

“Besides passing on your knowledge, you also want to see it for yourself, right? The… city in the clouds?” she recalled, thinking back to their prior discussions in the bar.

“Yes! Absolutely. And I would very much like to travel Hyrule! I want to see all of it, it’s just…” the scholar sighed. “All of this trouble on the roads has shaken my resolve to leave town anytime soon. And with things the way they are at the moment, the Resistance is a full-time effort.”

“At least if you’re living on base, you’ll be the first to receive any kind of good news on the situation in Hyrule.” Ilia considered. “And if things in town ever return to normal… you’ll know that you’ve made a difference.”

“Indeed. I want more than anything to finish my work but… I also have the feeling that it’s all connected. I believe that the ancient ones could explain the current disturbances in Hyrule.”

“Ashei believes it too,” the barmaid smiled.

“… That’s right – she…” the scholar blinked. “She inferred as much on the night that the barrier appeared. That something lies at the centre of all of these events. In time, we will discover what that is...”

The two continued along the street for some time, lost in thought before Ilia spoke again.

“And what happens after _that?_ I plan on returning home once everything is back in place, but… what about you?” she enquired playfully.

Shad realised that he hadn’t looked that far ahead. “With my books published and all the good luck of the goddesses on my side? I suppose I would like to open a college,” he concluded. “So that others like me will always have a place.”

The younger girl regarded him contentedly as they took the stairs leading to the bar. “That sounds like a good dream to have. I hope you get there someday, Shad.”

“You are very kind to say so, my lady.”

Upon entering the bar Telma greeted the barmaid and the scholar with one of her trademark smiles, though she were sympathetic in her tone.   
  
“Welcome home,” she wished Shad, taking custody of the box in Ilia’s hands. “That study in the room upstairs is all yours to do what you like with. Looks like it’ll never be a dull moment with both of you here!”

“I shall do my best not to impose on either of you more than necessary,” the scholar apologised.

“Nonsense! We are better equipped with you here. And my hands are already so full with the bar – you’d be an asset to the others when they need you,” the bejewelled redhead beamed in response. “I mean it, honey. Welcome aboard.”

The old friends shook each other’s hands in a newfound accord.

Shad couldn’t help feeling amused by how easily Telma had managed to cheer him up – she certainly had the gift of being able to reach into others and bring their optimism out, on their own terms. But he also knew that she was just as gifted when it came to striking fear into the heart of any unruly man, or beast. Such was the life of a veteran bartender.

“I won’t disappoint you, Telma. If either of you need anything, I will be ever ready to assist.”

Upon adding the final box to the study, the proprietress surveyed the room just once before returning to the hall. To Shad’s relief most of the room was already in order, comprised of a clear work desk surrounded by bookcases, minimal floral display and row of lanterns above the doorway.

“I’ll leave you to your unpacking,” Telma winked. “Though, you really should feel ashamed of yourself for making Ilia work on her day off…”

“I-I tried to stop her!” the scholar protested as the older woman retreated to the bar.

“Oh... I hope you don’t think me rude. We’ve done nothing but carry my effects, and talk about my books and failing career all day.”

“I wanted to help!” Ilia argued, shaking her head. “If there’s any little thing I can do for the Resistance in my free time, then I’ll do it. You and Telma have been my friends in all of this.”

The scholar looked genuinely frustrated as he put a hand to his forehead, brow knotted. “… Then I fear I have been a terrible friend. I never stopped to ask how you’ve fared without Link. It has been some time since you saw each other last, yes?”

“I…” Ilia swallowed. More than anything, she'd wanted an end to worrying the people around her. “I know he’s doing okay…” she sighed. “And I’ll be fine here, until he returns. It’s just that… it’s been a while and he hasn’t shown up. I was sure he’d come to the bar sooner, after Telma’s invitation.”

“It sounds like he holds you in high regard. And if it isn’t too bold to say so, I believe that he will make an entrance soon. So much is happening in the world, he must be relieved to know that you are safe for the time being.”

The younger girl smiled at the words, though her eyes betrayed a lingering sadness for the swordsman. “… He was seriously hurt… when the monsters came and attacked our village. I thought that was the end of him. But without having to worry about me, or Colin, or any of us, I know that he can give his best.”

“So, you worry that you might be a burden?” Shad concluded before raising a hand over his mouth in shock at the harshness of his remark. But before he could apologise, the barmaid continued.

“Shad, I nearly got him killed… it could’ve easily happened again if our emergency trip to Kakariko went wrong…”

The scholar noticed that Ilia was looking down to the floor, her head tilted away in an effort not to cry. Without thinking, he put his hands on her shoulders, bending to meet her eye-level. “It is because of _you_ – and every one of the children from your village – that he can give his best. Ask him yourself. I am sure you will be surprised by the answer.”

“I… I really hope so… I just want him to know that we can be there for him too…”

“The Resistance will also be there, certainly. No hazing rituals required,” he joked.

Shad then took a step back from the sombre girl and looked to the windows, more grateful than ever that Telma’s Bar faced away from Hyrule Castle. “It’s… approaching sundown. I don’t suppose you would like to come and see it from the roof?” he offered.

“From… where?” Ilia sniffed, wiping her eyes and wearing a new expression of amusement.

“It is actually _startlingly_ easy to climb up there from this window.” Shad explained. “I, uh… I only know this because Ashei showed me. It’s where she likes to go when she wants to escape the bar. Unless of course, you would like to enjoy the rest of your afternoon doing anything else, I would not be offended-”

“Oh, no… I’d very much like to see it,” she smiled. “The city is so beautiful from up here, I’m going to miss it when I return home. And besides, you’re… a good person to talk to. It reminds me a little of when I’d get to spend time with Link.”

“I am glad to hear it.”

Shad opened the study window to the heavy guttering and tiling of the roof, drenched in the orchid hues of the late afternoon.  
  
With his own smile, he'd then extended his hand to Ilia in support.

* * *

The night crowd of the bar had dissipated into all but one or two customers on their last drink. Telma was busy polishing glasses behind the counter while Ilia slept upstairs. In the half-drawn curtained room beside the serving area were Auru and Rusl, holding their own quiet conversation about the bridge of Eldin, as Shad read quietly in the corner.

After a string of relatively peaceful days, the scholar was finally able to make up for some of the time he’d lost on last week’s escapades. But – by the seemingly chaotic will of the goddesses – it was not to last.

As the final customer took their leave from the bar, the door caught open mid-swing, revealing the obsidian-haired warrior girl of the north. The dim light of the bar glanced off her gauntlets as she flipped the door sign to ‘closed.’

“There you are!” Telma called out to her with an expectant grin.

Ashei wandered into the main concourse of the bar and joined the Resistance at their meeting table, gathering their attention wordlessly.

“You were away longer than expected,” Rusl observed. “Is everything alright?”

“Ashei, you look…” Shad placed his book down, realising that he couldn’t quite place the emotion on her face. “… Are you… forgive me but, are you… _pleased?”_

“Zora’s Domain has been restored.” She announced. After gauging the shocked expressions of the others in the room, she continued. “I thought I’d hit my head on something when I saw the Zoras back in the marketplace. And they were doing fine! They said their prince had returned to them and that the river was flowing again.”

“Goddesses! And you’ve been keeping this good news to yourself?” the Ordonian laughed.

“Not to look a gift-horse in the mouth, but I had to see it for myself, yeah? I would’ve taken the west road but the Zoras took me there directly, up the river,” she shrugged.

“You mean to tell us that you’ve spent the last couple of days gallivanting about the riverside with the Zoras, while the rest of us hold things down here…?” Shad said in jest.

“Were any of them handsome, honey? Did you get to ride on their shoulders?” Telma added playfully.

“There was a BOAT involved!” She scowled, fighting the urge to throw something at the scholar for starting it. “And everything I do is for our cause! You’d better not forget that, unless you want a revisit of last week on your face...”

“Oh Ashei, you are so easily riled,” he confessed, stifling a laugh at her expense. “But really – this is marvellous news. We could not ask for a better improvement of morale.”

“Please forgive the humorous comments, our laughter is few and far between in such times,” Auru mediated, though he also found himself unable to contain his amusement.

“Thank you for your work, Ashei.” Rusl said, with sincerity. “We do appreciate the good news.”

“Indeed. I will gladly factor this into our latest report – boat included, of course.”

“I didn’t do much but yeah, you’re all _welcome,”_ the warrior said bitingly, though she were visibly elated.

“Did the Zoras have any… further insight as to why the river might have thawed?” Auru enquired.

Ashei thought for a moment, back to her observations of the waterfall basin. “They were convinced that… it was all to do with Prince Ralis. You know, the kid you and Ilia ran to Kakariko.” She began, looking to Telma. “But unless he has some kind of magical influence over the domain, I just can’t imagine how that would be the case. The weather was like the difference between night and day.”

“Unless, something else in the area changed,” Auru commented.

“There are… mysterious forces at work, here. The old powers may not be relinquishing their hold on the land so easily."

“What of the rest of you, then?” Ashei asked, looking mostly to her older colleagues. “Did you uncover anything about the Bridge of Eldin?”

But before either of the men could answer her the door knocked twice, loudly.

“Hello?” came a muffled voice from the other side. Everybody in the room looked to each other in confusion before the handle turned, although nobody noticed the excited look on Telma’s face as she threw her dishcloth to the table.

“Telma, Ilia?” rang the new voice, clearly belonging to a male.

“Bar’s closed.” Ashei said coldly before she turned to see the athletic younger man in green standing in the doorway. “Oh. It’s… _you.”_  
  
Her last word was emphasised without malice and she fell silent, her attention now locked onto the hero’s tunic.

“Sorry to interrupt – I’m friends with the owner…” he trailed off, glancing around the room. Link felt himself at the mercy of several sets of intelligent eyes that seemed to be sizing him up for any sign of weakness. In secret, he wondered if any part of him had actually remained cursed in wolf form – like a stray tail or whisker that had failed to dissipate in the light.

The room carried an intensity that seemed to suggest that they had been waiting for him, despite the fact that he had no idea who they were.

“I don’t believe I booked any performers for tonight! Even so, you’re incredibly late,” Telma joked, finally grabbing the attention of the bewildered stranger. “What took you so long, honey?”

The fluffy white cat perched upon one of the bar stools jumped to the ground and rubbed against the young man’s boots in greeting.

“Hey, Telma. I got held up…” Link breathed. “There were… problems… after the disaster in town. But I’m here now.”

Shad and Ashei looked to each other in unison.

“Well, Link honey, we’re glad to have you here. We could use the extra set of hands, as well as those radiant eyes of yours."

Meanwhile, the scholar had drifted into full internal-panic mode, hoping not to catch the attention of the swordsman as he came to grips with the situation.

Was this all some elaborate joke played upon him by the universe?

Could this really be the exceedingly talented contact Telma had informed them of, _as well as_ Ilia’s best friend?

Even so, the scholar had a difficult time picturing the new recruit tearing up monsters on the battlefield. His face seemed too gentle, for a start. But there was something else about him that seemed to convey… a sense of danger. Like whatever one saw on the outside was only a fragment of the full picture – and the other parts lay hidden in shadow.

“I… I…” Shad rose to his feet, at a loss for words.

‘Oh, no…’

“Then I guess you’re the friends Telma wrote to me about? It’s nice to meet you all,” the hero spoke in address, holding himself casually. “I’m Link.”

“I’ll leave you all to it for now, there’s plenty to catch up on. And they won’t bite you darling, I promise,” Telma assured, throwing a stern look to the Resistance table before returning to her work behind the bar.

Upon noticing the other helmeted swordsman in the corner, Link’s expression shifted from one that was mildly flustered to perplexed. He boldly made his way towards the group and then leaned in front of Rusl, who kept suspiciously quiet. After tapping the man on the shoulder, he finally spoke.

“… It has been a long time, my friend.”

“Rusl…?”

At once the helmet came off, and the two men beamed at each other in excitement.

“Rusl!! I _knew_ it was you!” Link laughed, locking arms with him into a handshake. “What are you doing here?”

“These are my peers, Link. We call ourselves the Resistance and we’ve been working together to bring peace to Hyrule. Of course, that now includes you.”

“Finally in your secret club now, then?” the swordsman joked, fighting off a hair-ruffle.

“You’ve grown up in your own right,” his mentor confided. “You should think of me as your partner in this endeavour, rather than your teacher. Even so, we could all learn a thing or two from each other.”

The older swordsman’s comment really brought home the extent to which Link had seen himself change since leaving Ordon village. The two warriors were a long way from swinging swords in practice in the forest grove.

The young hero was also perceptive of the fact that his hometown had already given him all the responsibilities of an adult, and yet it could not compare to the burden that was placed on his shoulders now. Knowing that Rusl had undertaken much of this fight alone only reinforced his respect for the older man… who he would always regard as his mentor.

“Master Link?” Auru enquired next, extending his hand. “I hope that you will forgive my terrible rudeness toward you on the street. My name is Auru. We are all very fortunate to have you on board, you have done great things for this land of ours.”

Link shook his hand and smiled back at the older man, graciously.

“Ah, it’s good to meet you properly, sir – Auru, I mean…”

Shad wanted to curse at his past self for letting his impulsiveness ruin this situation. Of course, they all knew that this was _not_ in fact their first meeting… but Auru’s words only confirmed the awkwardness of the scene before him.

He'd disparaged this younger man apart on the street and laughed at him with his contemporaries.

And, worse still, he appeared to be next in the circle to catch the hero’s gaze.

“... Uhhh… H… Hello-”

“It’s Ashei,” the warrior intervened, cutting in front of the scholar and extending her hand to the new colleague. Shad hadn’t missed the look that she’d shot at him over her shoulder, as though she delighted in the prospect of him introducing himself last.

Link shook her hand with a tentative smile. He noticed the hidden strength in Ashei’s grip and came to the conclusion that her armour obscured a very powerful form, despite her slim build.

“You’re really Link, then?” she said brusquely.

“Y-Yes! I’m sorry if I’m not what you were expecting…” the swordsman said, maintaining a courteous tone.

Shad noticed that these Ordon types were very much on the modest side, despite the fact that they seemed to be tangled in all the chaos of Hyrule.

“… I didn’t mean to sass you like that the other day, yeah? I just figured that the hero get-up was a joke. But I see that you’ve got the skill and the valour to back it up, so you can wear whatever the hell you want around here. We’ll be the idiots for assuming otherwise,” she smirked.

For a person who hated small exchanges with other people, the scholar had to hand it to her – Ashei’s directness could be charming when she wanted it to be. Though, he was still unequivocally furious at her for stealing his moment to apologise.

“Oh well, uh, thank you…! I don’t think you’re idiots, though-”

“I see that you are all beacons of Hyrule Castle Town’s famed hospitality…” Rusl commented, looking around the room. “What in the blazes did you _do_ to him?”

Shad swallowed before it was his turn to speak, now very anxious of the prospect of confrontation with the curiously armed man.

“… Hello, L-Link… I am… uh – my name is Shad. I am dreadfully sorry for the uncivilised remarks I made in your presence,” he began with a heavy voice. “You must think me a complete and utter snob…”

“It’s nice to meet you. You don’t need to apolo-”

“I have behaved _terribly!”_ The scholar continued, lifting a hand to his forehead. “And I do so hope that you will accept a drink as reparation for my comments…?”

Link blinked at the gesture, not wanting to further offend the impassioned man. Thinking back to the night in question, he couldn’t recall feeling particularly spurned by the odd group. He had exhausted so much of his mental energy worrying for Ilia that their comments had mostly rolled off of him like water off a duck’s back.

But the swordsman could see that it had caused some clear discomfort amongst the Resistance now, who were only too eager to make amends and to share their expertise with him.

In an effort to avoid any embarrassment, he answered. “… Ah yes, that’s nice of you to offer. Thanks…?”

Telma, upon overhearing this part of the conversation, wandered over to the swordsman gave him another one of her analytical gazes. Her aura was definitely favourable this time but the gesture ended with her shaking her head. “Hmm, no dice honey. He’s just a little too young for that. But I’ll tell you what – come by on your next birthday and we’ll sort you out.”

“A coffee, then? I shall make it myself.” Shad offered before promptly running behind the bar, much to Telma’s surprise.

“It’s okay – I didn’t mean to inconvenience any of you. I wanted to introduce myself-”

“I’ve heard you’re good with a bow and arrow.” Ashei complimented upon spotting the weapons strapped behind the Hylian shield.

“Oh, I… mostly just try to stay alive, I guess,” Link laughed, with only his shadow as witness to the close calls he’d experienced.

“It works in a pinch, when I need it. Do you have one?”

The warrior shook her head before pulling something heavy out of the bag she kept by the table.

“It’s a crossbow.” She said, simply. “I wouldn’t say I’m the best, either… but it works.”

“It’s a necessity for using the roads, no?” Auru conceded.

Before the conversation could fall into a lull, the scholar returned with a scorching cup of liquid in the confines of a ceramic tumbler. “Here you are, old boy. Please accept this with my most sincere apologies.”

Link looked down at the beverage with some bewilderment and sniffed it, cautiously. It certainly wasn’t like anything from home – but if consuming it was going to put the scholar at ease, then the swordsman was absolutely prepared to do it. “Thank you, Shad…” he finally smiled, taking a startling sip of the new flavour.

“I don’t know how I ever managed without it! Though I must warn you, it is rather addictive,” Rusl advised.

“You don’t mean to tell me that you’ve… never had coffee before?” the scholar gasped.

“Uh… no, it’s not something that we grew. I have heard that it keeps you awake, but I haven’t needed anything to help with that, so far…” Link admitted with a half-smile.

Shad didn’t want to be elitist but this young man from the country was almost too wholesome to be real.

And yet, in spite of this characteristic, he had no problem journeying to every dangerous corner of the world and using multiple weapons to utterly decimate Hyrule’s monsters. It threw him how different they were – an insanely gifted, athletic man and an eccentric researcher – both of which completely flouted cultural norms.

If nothing else, it meant for a promising start to Link working with the Resistance.

“Link!” Called a familiar voice from the stairs.

The dark-blonde swordsman looked up to see Ilia in her nightclothes, his eyes widened in a moment of vulnerability.   
  
“Ilia! I finally made it back!”

The old friends embraced each other with enthusiasm and Link set her down with as much care as he could muster, conscious of the manner in which the room regarded them.

“I’m glad you ended up coming down here darling, I didn’t want to wake you,” Telma said, smiling at the two.

“Telma, please! It’s Link! I’m so glad you’re doing okay…” Ilia lamented. “A lot’s happened in the town. It started to worry me when you hadn’t turned up.”

“Yeah, I... I know. Don’t worry, I think I’ll be able to come and visit you anytime, now.”

“… Ilia has conveyed so much to me about you in our conversations,” Shad interjected, with a friendly tone. “It sounds as though you really will be a formidable ally! Though I’m afraid, I’m rather not myself.”

The hero looked between the well-groomed academic and his childhood friend, only now realising that these contacts of Telma’s were also of her inner-circle. Upon moving into the city, Link knew that Ilia was part of a new community – it was just difficult for him to picture it after their previous life together in Ordon village. The image of her brushing Epona in the village springs was completely synonymous with home, in his mind.

Part of him ached to return to those days… but he knew that the only way back was for the Twilight King to be destroyed. In other words, he knew that it was going to take some time.

“Shad is one of your friends, then?” he enquired, keeping his tone light.

“Yes! Actually he’s just moved in upstairs, so I guess we’re roommates now.”

“That’s right – we’re uh, definitely _friends.”_ The scholar affirmed, ever mindful of the younger man’s weapons.

“Are you sure about that?” someone said breezily in the background. Shad was really living to regret the cheap jibes he’d made at Ashei earlier this evening.

To his surprise, Link’s vivid blue eyes met directly with his own. His eyelids were somewhat languid from a lack of sleep but his overall expression was calm, inquisitive. “In that case, I’m glad I got to meet you,” he said serenely. “You’ve probably been more help than me, lately. I hope you’ll continue to be there for Ilia.”

“She’s in good hands here, no thanks to Telma.” Shad fumbled, now profoundly self-conscious under his gaze.

“Don’t talk about me like I’m not here!”

“Sorry – though your Dad is gonna have a couple of choice words for me if I don’t check up on you…” the swordsman laughed, nervously.

“You and Ilia are very much a part of my family, at this point.” Rusl declared, rising from his seat. “If there is any danger to the town, then she will be my priority on behalf of her father. I swear to it.”

Any latent stress that might have been visible on the younger swordsman’s face softened upon Rusl’s declaration. There was simply no way to thank him enough for the peace of mind.

“And if you’re worried about creeps in the bar, don’t be.” Ashei said flatly. “We have a policy here. If anyone asks over the counter for a ‘Red Tonic,’ we show the troublemaker the way out with a couple of persuasive-”

“Arguments against the vulgarity of their conduct.” Shad finished, with a look. The last thing he wanted at this point was to give Link the impression that Ilia was slumming it in the city with a couple of ruffians.

To his relief, the swordsman regarded them both with a newfound zeal before he said, “I can see why Ilia wanted to stay.”

“Those two are a handful, honey…” Telma warned, looking to the warrior and academic. “But if you can get past the sass, they’ve got a lot to offer. And I’m sure they’ll want to stay on your good side. What’s next on the agenda?”

“I’m looking for…” Link hesitated, choosing his words carefully under the scrutiny of a certain benefactor. “… For areas of corruption. And I want to find the cause, wherever it may lead.”

“Then you’ll want to go to desert.” Auru announced grimly to the room.


	8. Three for Playing Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Shad share morning coffee while discussing the prospect of working together. 
> 
> Ilia joins in and they play an ice-breaking game involving the Resistance ranks to pass time.

**Chapter 8 – Three for Playing Games**

Saturday mornings often gave way to the busiest daylight hours at the bar, attracting a mixture of social cohorts on their day off and several hung-over patrons who stumbled into the establishment, fresh out of bed.

While Telma and Ilia found themselves in the thick of the activity, most of the other Resistance members were nowhere to be seen. After last night’s meeting, Auru had departed for the desert with plans to meet Link in two days. At the same time, Rusl sought to make use of the local blacksmith before chasing information on the Bridge of Eldin and Ashei was on her way out for the Snowpeak foothills.

“Be safe out there, honey,” Telma called out to her pointedly, over the bar.

“How exciting, you’re going to the snow!” 

The warrior sighed in response to Ilia's remark but her face wore a set smile, hiding her fatigue.

“Won’t be going up there for a bit, I just need to talk to the locals. Be back soon.” And with the swing of the door, she was gone.

Meanwhile, to the side of the room were Link and Shad in the midst of their own conversation. In the face of last night’s awkward meeting, the scholar was ever determined to turn things around and accompanied the young hero from the moment he’d risen out of bed – much to the entertainment of Ilia.

“Losing Hyrule Castle and any sign of our Princess is a catastrophe, of course… but to also lose the Royal Family archives? To have so much of our history and culture in the hands of some… some…”

“Bastard?” Link finished for him, bristling for the first time in Shad’s presence.

For a split second the younger man’s features were rendered sharper – his eyes, somehow darkened – but it disappeared as quickly as one might have glimpsed it.

 _“Yes!!_ My thoughts exactly! Whoever he or she happens to be, I wonder if they have ever been robbed of the knowledge of their people… I could not wish such a thing onto anyone!”

Link was immediately reminded of Midna – who seemed to have lost much more than a library. Her resolve went beyond the disposition of the usurper king: she wanted him completely and utterly destroyed. And despite the recent loss of Princess Zelda playing in the back of his mind, he was forced to press onward – cursed as only person in Hyrule with this knowledge.

“I have a plan to take the castle back.” He said in a low voice.

“You… you _do?”_ Shad exclaimed in bewilderment.

“But I can’t… explain it to anyone…”

“Forgive me but… that does sound incredibly vague,” the scholar smiled. His manner never wavered from friendly but the younger man was so full of ambiguity, he made for a strange ally. One less courteous might have found him frustrating on some level. “You said something about finding the sources of corruption then, correct?”

Link nodded in response, inwardly cringing at the fact that he would be navigating this entire crusade by keeping the others in the dark.

“Look, if… if nothing else, it’ll help. You don’t have anything to lose from working with me, and I’ll be out of your way, most of the time…”

“There is no question as to _whether_ we will help you. My concern is with the 'how.' But… if we were to collaborate on eliminating the problems outside of the castle, then eventually we could concentrate on that part alone.” Shad surmised, clasping his hands together on the table.

“Not that I am complaining, mind you. Your plan seems to fit into our prior theories regarding this war. So, what is it that you require of us in this endeavour?”

“Information, mostly. But I can help you all in return – if you need my sword anywhere, just say the word.”

“I pray that my information will be worth such a thing!” the scholar laughed. “A one-man army? No coin in town could buy that.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, I mean…” the younger man trailed off, fidgeting with the glove on his left hand. “If anyone needed me, I would be there. I know we’ve just met but that includes you, Shad.”

The gesture was welcome and it hadn’t been made lightly, as Link appeared to be carrying a lot on his shoulders… perhaps so much, that he preferred to keep it all to himself. But the scholar frowned and looked to the table, drumming his fingers along one of his notebooks.

“I am… trying not to make a habit out of relying on others as much as I have. You are such a strong and capable person, I suppose we are rather the opposite in that regard.”

“Cut that out!” Telma interrupted, throwing a look across the tavern. Shad nearly jumped out of his skin in response, wondering whether the room had ears on her behalf.

“Don’t mind him, honey. He’s just doing his best impersonation of the down-on-their-luck men who drop by here in the evenings…”

“I-I do apologise... I’m quite certain that you didn’t come here to listen to my rambling…” he said humorously, finishing the rest of his drink.

“It’s fine, really,” Link smiled at him. “I know we’re not really friends yet but… if there’s anything I can do to make it better…?”

Shad raised his eyebrows in amazement, needing to reassure himself of the handsome young man that was looking back at him with such calm. His offer again was so earnest, that Shad knew of no other to compare him to. And despite his best efforts to make things up to the swordsman, he was struck down once again by Link’s natural ability to comfort the people around him.

After a brief pause, he replied. “… Your decorum is rather inspiring. That alone is enough, I think.”

In response, the swordsman bumped him lightly on the shoulder.

“Ilia told me about her first day here. She was so frightened before you arrived. You’re a good person, it doesn’t matter if you can’t use a sword or whatever – you’re just as important as anyone else. And you’re also… really smart,” he laughed, self-consciously.

Shad also laughed heartily at the compliment before he could recall the rest. Link’s words had resonated with everything that Telma had instilled into him, in addition to Ashei’s concern for his research. He came to the conclusion that he would owe it to them at least, to push on as fearlessly as possible.

“I’ll certainly do my best to live up to your expectations.” He said quietly, glowing with approval.

“It looks like you two are getting along!”

Ilia made herself known upon observing the two men from above Link’s shoulder, her green eyes brimming with amusement. “Sorry, Shad! It’s so busy this morning! But here’s your order, finally…” she said before placing another coffee at the scholar’s side. “Would you like anything, Link?”

“I… might have one too, please. If you wouldn’t mind?” He enquired, looking to the academic. “I’d like to know more about your group.”

“Certainly not. In fact, I would treasure the opportunity to converse with you some more.”

“Ilia, you should join them too while Link’s here,” Telma offered from behind the bar.

“But… Telma, I shouldn’t. It’s so busy!”

“How do you think I managed this place all by myself?” she winked.  
  
“Go, on! Make the most of your morning.”

The barmaid hid her elation as she placed her tray on the adjacent table and pulled up a chair, adjusting her apron in the process.

It felt incredibly bizarre to be situated between the swordsman and the scholar, both of whom appeared to be polar opposites with only her in common, yet watching them together had only made her optimistic about their friendship.

She also thanked Telma in passing as she brought them another two drinks, on the house. Though the older woman preferred to keep things running in the background, their union had also meant for a rather eventful morning from her perspective.

“I was just about to ask Shad about the Resistance,” Link explained.

“Oh, I find myself still learning about them, even now.” The barmaid admitted, looking to Shad on her right. “We could always turn it into a game…?”

“What sort of game do you propose?”

The scholar was grateful for the levity that seemed to accompany the two Ordonians, in contrast to the more sullen city-types surrounding them in the tavern.

“Well… sort of like a ‘getting to know you’ game, where we take turns listing facts about ourselves. And maybe you can fill in the gaps for anyone who isn’t here?”

“I’ll give it a shot…” Link replied. “Shad?”

“I am game, if you are.”

Ilia was popular with the children from her village for a reason – she knew how to turn even the most mundane tasks such as collecting firewood into a fun challenge between friends. And in her experience, even the adults enjoyed some manner of sport, even if it meant doing the extra work involved in presenting the better harvest.

“Okay then, let’s start with the following! Your name, favourite colour, favourite animal, one strength and one fear. It’ll be like we’re strangers, again…” the barmaid smiled, ticking the categories off with her fingers.

Link laughed at the prospect of inadvertently telling everyone at the table that he was a wolf.

“Well, it was nice playing with you both…” he said with a half-smile, standing as though he were about to leave the table. But Ilia grabbed his wrist and pulled him down as quickly as he’d done it.

“I’ll go first.” She offered.

“My name is Ilia! Previously, Liza…” she continued, looking in jest to the scholar. “My favourite colour is light green, the colour of pastures. My favourite animal is the deer, I’m good at horse-riding and I’m scared of spiders.”

“You didn’t pick horses?” Link interrupted.

“I don’t have to,” Ilia corrected. “I love working with horses but that doesn’t mean they’re my favourite.”

“But… but you _love_ Epona!”

Shad found himself amused by the fact that one best friend was betrayed by the other due to their choice of answer.

The swordsman frowned at Ilia before he decided to take his turn with the questions. “… I’m Link. My favourite colour is dark green… like the colour of the forest. My favourite animal is the _wolf,_ I’m good at dodging attacks and I’m… afraid of not having my feet on the ground,” he said, suppressing a shudder at the horrifying levels of vertigo he’d endured in the Goron Mines.

“See? You didn’t pick horses, either!”

“It’s _different_ – a lot’s happened since I left town!” he grinned, baitedly.

“Now, now, there can be no incorrect answers…” the scholar intervened.

Upon realising that it was his turn, he took a moment to map out his response. “My name is Shad. My favourite colour is nightshade purple, my favourite animal is the owl, I am fluent in Old Hylian, Gerudo and Zoran and I’m… deathly afraid of failure…!” he laughed, in spite of himself.

“Oh, here we go! You had to go and bring up my number one fear....” Link confessed with a nervous smile, grabbing the back of his neck.

“Yes, Shad! We’re trying to keep this fun!”

“My apologies, once again…” the scholar smirked, “… that my answer appears to be _too_ real for you to handle.”

“What do you think about Ashei, Telma and Auru?” Ilia contemplated with excitement, upon which Link looked to him in intrigue.

Shad stifled a groan at the difficulty of the assignment.

“Heavens, you _had_ to pick two of the most unreadable people I know.”

“We already know Rusl,” Link added with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“Favourite colour, golden yellow; animal, fox. Best axe-thrower of our village and scared of leaving our home vulnerable to attack…”

The scholar sighed in defeat, though he couldn’t help but feel entertained by the speedy analysis of his colleague. With a poorly hidden smile, he exclaimed, “I fear that you will end up making me look bad for not having done my homework, in comparison!”

“Just give it a go,” Ilia beamed at him.

“… I suppose. We should start with the easiest.” He conceded, gesturing to the proprietress across the counter.

“Telma’s favourite colour…”

“Oh, that’s a tricky one.” The barmaid said, now glancing over the older woman in puzzlement. She wore several different colours but was most commonly garbed in black, white and purple, with prominent gold jewellery. In addition, her face was accented by a variety of jewels in red, purple and green.

Ilia had gotten the impression that Telma dressed very vibrantly in her youth, going off of her brassiere, and that the toned-down shades were reflective of her later wisdom in some manner.

“Perhaps it is something bright and complimentary to her manner, like sunset vermilion,” the scholar began.

“Her favourite animal is her cat, of course. She is also devilishly good at cards, and… she is afraid of… of…” Shad looked around the room for any clue that would elucidate the mystery, before his eyes settled on the framed pictograph above the fireplace.

“… Being alone.” He whispered, keeping his voice low enough to avoid her potential wrath.

Ilia seemed to hum in agreement while Link looked to them both in confusion.

“But – I thought that… her and Renado seemed to really –”

“Get along well, yes. And also just as well without each other,” the barmaid said in her own hushed tones, before she reached under the table and kicked the naïve swordsman in the leg.

 _“Ow!_ What was that for?!”

“Please, let us _drop this subject_ before we get into serious trouble…!” Shad paled, glancing nervously at the bar once again. He was relieved to find no sign of the bar owner having overheard their scandalous conversation.

“Who’s next then?” Link asked, rubbing his shins with confusion.

“Your friend, Ashei,” Ilia offered, moving the conversation along.

“Ah – yes…” The scholar took another momentary pause, fingers knotted together in thought, before trying his hand at the mystery that was their femme fatale of the wilds.

Though it might have seemed to Ilia that the two of them were good friends, especially given that they were closer in age, the truth was that Shad had never dared to ask Ashei for many details of her past. And whether it was out of some misplaced sense of courtesy, she had never ventured to do the same beyond the realm of his studies. The two had maintained a working relationship that was – for the most part – supportive, though as of late it occasionally veered into adversarial territory.

Shad couldn’t help but suspect that this was either a form of entertainment or frustration for the rest of their colleagues.

“Perhaps… the colour of crimson…” he began.

“That’s funny, the first thing I thought of was black. Like her horse – or her hair.” Ilia speculated.

“You’re both listing colours that she wears.” Link pointed out. “I mean, I guess I picked green, but…”

“It is definitely a red, I think. A darker, subdued red,” the scholar said decidedly.

“Oh, I think that would really suit her in a dress!”

“Indeed. If she cared for such things, I imagine it would be very beautiful.”

The younger girl shot a cryptic smile his way before he hurried onward in his analysis, glazing over the compliment.

“Favourite animal… perhaps a bear,” he then laughed. “She is excellent at…” The word ‘everything’ immediately came to mind, with the exception of public speaking and manners. And perhaps, holding her temper. “Making jokes with a serious face, and having other people believe her,” he settled. “And she has an aversion to crowds and confined spaces.”

“Ugh, I hate small spaces, too…” Link admitted, recalling some of the narrow underwater passages of the Lakebed Temple.

“It must be an adventurer thing,” Ilia added, pinching him gently on the arm.

“What’ve you got on Auru? I’m meant to be meeting him in a couple of days.”

“Ah… another difficult one!”  
  
Shad took a contemplative sip of coffee before concluding the game on their wiser counter-part’s behalf.

Before today, he hadn’t necessarily thought to involve himself in the lives of their more undecipherable companions, but today’s antics had certainly piqued his interest in the finer details of their personalities.

“If I had to pick the colour, I would say… something cool, like grey, the colour of steel. For the animal, I would pick the crow. He is gifted at blending in with various types of people – never revealing his cards, of course – and he fears…”

The young swordsman seemed to lean in at the prospect of what was to come next.

“… Nothing?“ The scholar concluded before the three of them laughed.

“Nothing that you’ve seen, anyway,” Ilia said amusedly.

“This is true, though I feel if he were to betray such a thing, the world would finally end.”

“Everyone has their limit…” Link defended playfully, doing his best to suppress a rush of adrenaline upon the realisation that he’d come so close to losing Ilia.

That the two of them could enjoy this morning together felt like a blessing. Part of him wondered if _all_ of her memories were really there, and whether the traumas played in her mind as they did in his – but now was certainly not the time to bring it up.

“Will you be meeting Auru at the desert, then?” she’d then asked him.

“At Lake Hylia, actually… He said that there was some way out to the desert from the water basin… but I was there kind of recently and I honestly don’t know where he means.”

Shad’s glasses seemed to obscure his eyes as he smirked. “Yes, well… _do_ let me know how that goes, won’t you?”

“It’s been great meeting everyone and checking in on the town but I’ll have to get packing for the road, pretty soon,” Link said, looking absently into his coffee cup.

“Does that require a lot of effort on your part?”

“Not really. I could be out from the nearest town for several days at a time but as long as I’ve got the usual weapon supplies; bombs and arrows, and healing supplies, I’m good.”

“There is a potions shop nearby,” Ilia suggested upon recalling one of her morning walks.

“Oh, yeah, potions are _great._ I’ve also… been trying my hand at brewing my own on the road…” Link’s blue eyes glinted mischievously at this revelation, gauging the reactions of the other two who were either shocked or impressed.

“You mean like the ones Sera used to concoct at home?” 

“Yeah! Except that mine sometimes end up sort of… weird. Probably because we’re so far out of the Ordona region and I don’t know what all the materials do, yet…” he laughed, withholding the fact that he also carried a back-up fairy at all times.

“So in other words, you need to _go out and buy some.”_ Ilia said flatly.

“We could accompany you if you’d like?” Shad offered. “I would like to hear more about the dubious realities of potion-brewing in the wilds.”

“It sounds like I don’t have a choice.”

Link hazarded a glance at Ilia who was positively annoyed at his recklessness, and knew before he could open his mouth that he had been defeated.

“Alright, then! Let’s go!”


	9. Written in the Sky

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shad falls asleep in the middle of a study marathon, only to be rudely awoken by Ashei and an archaeological discovery.
> 
> Link returns from the Gerudo desert with additional findings of his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This summer has been absolutely crazy busy for me but I’m back to get this rolling again! Thanks for waiting!

**Chapter 9 – Written in the Sky**

With Link, Ashei and Auru gone for the week, the bar’s atmosphere had grown suspiciously quiet with only the meandering presence of its usual patrons to disrupt the peace. Telma and Ilia worked hard through the nights, leaving only Rusl in the scholar’s company – but it appeared that even this was not to last.

“Are you on your way out, too?” the scholar enquired absent-mindedly from the foyer, turning the pages of a journal alongside one of his main texts.

“I won’t be going far.” The middle-aged man pledged. “If anything were to happen I’m the only one here, armed.”

The two men cast their attention to Ilia who was some distance away over the counter. She happened to be in the middle of saying something that made Telma laugh and throw her apron over the younger girl’s head.

Shad also made a quick assessment of his colleague’s weapons and wondered just for a moment what it might be like to hold that kind of responsibility over an entire town.

There was no shortage of talent in the Resistance ranks, it seemed.

“Y-Yes, of course...”

“Ideally, I shouldn’t even be allowed to leave the building.” Rusl admitted humourously, recalling the Ordonian mayor with some reverence. He'd conducted his own correspondence with Bo, unbeknownst to Link and Ilia who happened to be the main subject of his letters.

“But your being here gives me the confidence to do so, Shad. Just don’t… tell anyone who doesn’t need to know.”

“Your secret is safe with me,” the younger man winked in reply. “Although, I cannot fathom why my presence would make you feel better about this situation… uh, specifically.”

“Because, my friend, I’d have a hard time believing that any harm is going to come to Ilia with you around.”

This caused Shad to nearly choke in surprise, snapping his journal shut in the process.

“Are you quite serious? With the way that Ilia wrangles some of the customers, she should be regarded as _my_ protector.”

Rusl did little to hide his approval at this remark, for the fact that it meant the return of Ilia’s strong-headedness. She’d always looked like a gentle girl on the outside but beneath was her father’s trademark grit and stubbornness.

“I wouldn’t doubt either of you in a pinch. But truly – you have the bravery of any swordsman. So I would trust in that, should the time ever come...”

But before Shad could protest, the door gently clicked shut.

“And that was the last time anybody tried to steal our town’s signature recipe for – oh, Shad, are you leaving too?”

Ilia looked up from the counter to see the vaguely distracted scholar watching her from the other side of the room, halfway up the staircase. He blinked rapidly, breaking the connection before doing his best to recover.

“Y-Yes, I will be retiring for the night… but as always, I will be here if you need anything,” he announced.

Though it might’ve been an ordinary time for one to go to bed, ‘retiring’ more often than not lead to staying up for another couple of hours for some solitary reading. There were times when the first light of the sun would begin to lift the dark shroud of night and Shad knew he had gotten carried away, again.

“I don’t think this place has been so peaceful in weeks.” Telma observed in a tone that wasn’t particularly disapproving, her hands placed on her hips.

“Forgive me for saying so, but that isn’t such a bad thing. I have more than caught up on my workload.”

“Oh, I’ll bet you have. Especially without Ashei here.”

The scholar threw his head back and laughed rather heartily for someone whose manners were normally so refined.

“You make it sound like we’re more of a hindrance working together than not. But I will not deny the truth of your words.”

“Actually, I think you two make a great team…” Ilia beamed. “You’re the opposite of each other. Even Link needs someone grounded to pull him back at times.”

“I do not know if either of us would qualify as ‘grounded,’” Shad sighed. “In any case, I will work on… de-escalation…”

Ashei was clearly feeling stressed and overwhelmed – ‘powerless’ was the word that she’d used – which seemed out of character for her, though not misplaced. And since then, whatever awkwardness remained between the two was being slowly ‘diffused’ through a series of jokes and opportunities for ridicule.

Introspectively, this was easy to see. But stopping it was another matter. It didn’t help that the warrior’s disposition was naturally contentious.

“This is why I wanted to recruit Link all along, he knows how to play nicely,” Telma elucidated with a smirk.

‘Too nicely,’ Shad thought to himself, wondering if he would ever get to see the monster that he seemed to be reputable for on the battlefield. The afternoon he’d spent with Link and Ilia only added to his curiosity. He couldn’t ignore that something was definitely not adding up… but until he could win Link’s trust, they would be operating some arm’s length away.

It was strange but the scholar found himself sharing Ilia’s concern that they were in fact being kept to the sidelines, as the storm raged beyond the city.

“He is certainly a model student. You’ve succeeded in shaming us all, Telma. In any case, I wish you both goodnight and I shall join you both tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, then.” Ilia sang out after him.

Upon settling into the study upstairs, Shad gazed out of the windows and onto the street where he’d hoped to catch Rusl in the middle of whatever mysterious quest he’d embarked on. But after a reasonable amount of idle time, the scholar settled once again into his work desk and switched materials.

It was definitely going to be one of those nights filled with compromises for ‘just five more minutes.’

* * *

The sound of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs did little to stir the young man who had since passed out onto the table - with lanterns burning low in the early morning. He mumbled slightly when the door swung open...  
  
And then immediately jolted awake, upon hearing the enormous – _THUNK_  – of heavy stone upon the wooden table next to his head.

“WHAT - _in all the realms-?”_

“Morning. Take a look at this.”

Shad adjusted his glasses and gazed up angrily at the taunting figure standing before him. The warrior smiled back at him rather smugly. Ashei had been scarce lately and they’d noted her absence at the bar some mere hours ago, yet here she was now, fresh from the mountain.

“What are you doing here?!” the scholar chided, looking profoundly annoyed as he fixed his appearance. “Dear Farore. Could you have at least _knocked?”_

“Nice to see you, too. And I did knock. I was gonna wait until breakfast but Ilia was just about to leave you this…” She explained, now placing a fresh cup of tea next to the frazzled scholar. “So, it gave me an excuse to come in.”

“Ilia was… checking on me?” He mumbled in disbelief, glancing outside to see the first pastel hues in the sky.   
  
“… And… you… _you dropped a rock onto my desk?”_

“It’s an artefact. I thought you of all people would’ve had the mind to appreciate it. At least pick it up. If I dragged this thing down for nothing, I’ll be dropping it on you, next.”

Shad yawned before throwing an oddly defiant look at the armoured woman. “Could you even _imagine_ the wrath rained down upon anybody stupid enough to wake you in such a manner?”

“I know,” Ashei laughed softly. “Good thing you’re a well-read historian with everything riding on Hyrule’s ancient past.”

With a heavy sigh, the scholar finally obliged and lifted the slab off of the table. It was about the size of a head and weighed like a sheet of metal. But what caught his attention were the series of carvings that ran along a column, alien-looking in comparison to Hyrule’s common script, yet artistic enough to compel one to ‘read’ it.

“It… belongs to something bigger, obviously. A building? A monument? And these carvings…”

“It was isolated from a ruin in the basin of the mountains. It looked like they were long abandoned but… according to the locals, there’s a mansion nearby that’s still intact. Its lights come on at night and the grounds around it are looked after. Weird, huh?”

Shad gasped, slowly letting the life return to him after the nap.

“Truly? … And you didn’t happen to go in?”

“The weather was getting sketchy, so no, I wasn’t heading any further into the valley. And I didn’t want to guess what type of person might be living there without the proper intel, first.”

Ashei couldn’t hide the disappointment on her face but recklessness was, albeit surprisingly, not a habit of hers in the field. She preferred to do things incrementally, learning as she went before charging in.

Of course, the rules were bent where brawls and assaults in the city were concerned… but in the wild? Anybody who rushed in was just as likely to wind up frozen, crushed, burned, drowned, or any number of other horrible things. Humans were far more easily outmatched than nature.

“That’s too bad. I wondered if it might be another student…”

“That’s unlikely,” she scoffed, flipping her hair.

“Oh Ashei, it might have been the perfect opportunity to make a great discovery! Aren’t you at least a little more curious?”

“There could just as easily be a pack of monsters or a spirit keeping that place alight.”

“Like _that_ is a problem, for you!” The scholar laughed, his mood improving as he sipped the well-rested tea.

“Yeah, right. I’ll take you up there next time and _you_ can gamble with your own safety.”

“There is no arguing that you’re the better candidate for the job. And no decent man could turn _you_ out onto the snow… especially armed like that.” Shad raised an eyebrow and nodded at the warrior’s sword, which sometimes felt seconds away from being lodged into the nearest piece of furniture.

Ashei exhaled sharply in response, unused to any manner of chivalry in her line of work. If one had to ask for shelter, one was probably also stupid enough to have drawn the attention of the nearest wolf pack. But this didn’t stop her from seizing the opportunity for a joke.

“Decent men like ‘The Butcher of the Peaks,’ on the run from his recent spate of murders in the capital?”

“Always so judgemental. Sounds like your type, if you ask me.”

This had earned him a genuine laugh from the serious woman.

“Anyway look, I don’t know much about the history of the region,” she sighed, moving the conversation along. “But we do know that at some point it belonged to an ancient settlement. And that there’s someone, or some _thing_ there, now. Add one that to your list of mysteries.”

“Someone who might possibly know more about… OF COURSE!” Shad exclaimed, mid-way through sketching the runes. It was a close call for the inkwell, which rippled suddenly from the hand slammed down onto the table.

“Though it is clearly a different style, the characters are the _same!!_ Why didn’t I notice this before?! This is the same ancient language in… _the book.”_

The warrior glanced at her colleague nervously – though he mostly kept a lid on it at times, Shad’s personality could quickly swing from calm and attentive to sheer historical mania. This didn’t happen often but for the times he was able to explain in detail to anyone within listening range, any array of patterns or a string of facts that had arisen from his research.

Even the most polite person could find themselves drowning in the barrage of information. Ashei knew this look all too well and planned to make an escape.

“… Actually… I’ve gotta g-”

“Ashei, this is _incredible_ – but you must _promise not to tell anyone…”_ the scholar whispered very loudly.

If there were a way to shout beneath the volume of one’s vocal chords, he had found it.

“Tell anyone what? There’s nobody in here!”

To her relief the animated scholar threw himself down rather dramatically into his chair.

“… My father, he… _borrowed…_ a book… from _the Royal Archives...”_

“Oh…?”

Ashei wondered if this was such a bad thing, flashing a quizzical expression at the tone he used.

“And I uh… had every intention of _returning_ it once I had it translated…”

Oh.

“So, he ‘borrowed’ it long-term, huh?” She clarified.

“Y-Yes. Precisely! But the Royal Family are not exactly… _privy_ to the notion.”

Ashei feigned a serious look despite the fact that they were now yards away from the implication that there was nothing shifty going on.

“I think they’ve had a lot more to worry about over the years than a missing book from their shared collection.”

“Shared upon the provision of a _research grant,_ in this case. And the grant never came due to father’s sudden illness and a lack of theoretical framework… so in actuality, the book should still be there now…” he trailed off, eyes drifting around the ‘organised’ clutter of the room.

“Sealed behind a magic wall and left to rot under some dictator? Don’t be stupid! I think that book is exactly where it needs to be. Especially so, if it contains the language of these ruins.”

Much to her relief, Shad’s mania mode had been deactivated at some point during the conversation and some slightly anxious version had taken its place.

“Morally, it still feels… forgive me, father – _shady_ – but I know you are right. We needed more time. If he hadn’t thought that far ahead then my translations would be stuck at zero progress...”

“You’re the only one who can make this work.” Ashei continued, unsure of whether she was coming off as motivational or threatening. "So, you'd better do it, then. You don't need some stupid grant."

The scholar, now overcome by some form of enthusiasm, fetched the book in question, which was stashed carefully behind a row of shorter texts. The spines were lined up perfectly in an effort to deter anyone from disturbing the collection.

“I have been piecing the language together, at a most frustratingly slow pace, though at the moment all I have are these characters.”

He then flipped the book open to a page part of the way through, bookmarked by a loose sheet that had the Hylian alphabet – written in what was admittedly very beautiful handwriting – and a variety of foreign symbols that were circled.

“These only came after months of scouring numerous textual sources. I am getting there but… well, with this slab at the very least, I might be able to start building words. It’ll be a process of elimination coupled with some extra reading… and then – _phonetics!”_ he gleamed.

It hadn’t taken very long for the surface of the desk to be comprised almost entirely of paper, which left the warrior wondering how any of this could make sense to someone keeping track of minute details.

If research paid, he’d have hired an assistant by now.

“I wouldn’t have the patience for anything like this.”

“Nobody does,” Shad smirked in response.

“You’re really…”

Ashei bristled and then stopped.

“Out of words now, after coming in here to startle me awake?” He said proudly as he snapped the book in his grasp shut.

“I was going to say… hard-working. And driven. These are compliments, feel free to take them.”

“… You know that I wouldn’t rather be doing anything else. And I _do_ have an eye for detail. Enough to notice your difficulty for praising others, at the very least.”

For someone that was definitely feeling sleep-deprived, Shad wasted no words turning the tables when it came to their rivalry.

“Well if you like, I could bring you back down from the clouds.” Ashei offered, sportingly.

“You can try.”

“You can be pretentious. Verbose. Clumsy.”

The warrior folded her arms, enjoying the new game as Shad laughed.

“And you are sometimes blunt, aggressive, and rude beyond words. Our organisation has _three_ men and by comparison you make us look utterly tasteful.”

“You spend more time in the mirror than I do.”

“And you would put Telma out of business if left unattended behind the bar.”

It seemed to the scholar that humour and conflict went hand-in-hand for Ashei, not that this wasn’t already apparent, but it meant walking the knife’s edge for any future jokes he might’ve had up his sleeve.

She had smiled at him in response.

“You should’ve seen some of the people who hired me before I started working with you guys. Half of them were glad to pay out the contract as soon as possible. The other half threw more jobs my way that required a… firm hand.”

“I can only imagine.”   
  
In comparison, nobody could be more surprised that the warrior had chosen to volunteer some information about her old life.

Shad collected his thoughts before responding, noticing the light of the sun beyond the window for the first time. “Before the Resistance, I was simply a tutor and research aid. I’m afraid that my life in comparison must seem so boring!”

“Yeah, maybe…” she shrugged. “What you do isn’t exactly my cup of tea. But we live in a world that could benefit more from knowledge and discovery. And there are merchants enough to outlast Hyrule itself.”

“I would be more  _careful_  about saying that in this town.” The scholar warned, grinning back at her amusedly.

“That’s right, I’ve gotta restock first thing tomorrow,” came the new voice nervously from across the room.

The two turned to see the blonde swordsman, who was slightly sunburnt upon closer inspection, standing in the doorway.

“Link! My friend, you’re back!” Shad welcomed him ardently.  
  
Ashei scanned the younger man with her eyes, as though to gauge the untold damage done by the elements. “How was it?” She'd asked quietly.

“The desert? It was… eye-opening.”

His words failed to capture the intensity of the assignment but Link smiled at his colleagues nonetheless, his blue eyes narrowed warmly.

“You look terribly exhausted. I take it that Auru will be here soon, then?”

“Yes. He’ll be able to give you most of the report – I don’t think I could’ve done it without him.”

“Apparently there are strongholds of monsters all the way out there. But I can see that wasn’t a problem for someone like you…?” the warrior enquired, more curious than she was sceptical.

After everything that had happened, Ashei knew better than to underestimate the hero a second time. And Shad seemed to hang onto every word with awe.

“Y-Yeah. At night you could see the campfires, all the way out to the prison.” Link recalled uncomfortably, unused to sharing such a level of detail in his journey so far. “But you should know that I found what I needed, thanks to you guys. Uh, no offense.”

“None taken,” the warrior shrugged. “Feel free to treat me like any of the other men here, yeah?”

“A-Alright, then…”

Link felt an approving glow from Ashei before she addressed him again.

“Well, it’s good you’re here now. I’ll have another assignment for you, when you’re ready.”

“I will be, soon.”

The swordsman shuddered, his shadow flickering in the dim light as he felt the ghost of Midna’s hand against his face. Fortunately for him, these humans of the light missed it entirely in the blink of an eye.

“Oh, dear. Shall I close the window for you?” Shad offered.

“It’s okay, it’s just my body readjusting to the cooler weather…”

But upon leaving his desk, the scholar drew Link’s attention to the materials strewn throughout the work area.

“Oh that’s…!”

“I found that piece of ruin when I was gathering information in the mountains.” Ashei explained, as the younger man approached the various books.

He then paused, self-consciously, before pulling out a handful of various parched and stained pages from his pockets and adding them to the confusion.

“You’re going to think I’m crazy… but this all looks really similar to these characters I’ve been collecting. I have no idea what they are but they seemed to only appear in ruins. I thought someone in town might know more.”

_“This is-”_

The scholar’s mania mode took over once again as he rushed to the table and began turning between the pages, furiously.

“Twice in one day? I don’t think he can handle this…” Ashei observed faintly.

“They belong here! All the evidence is tied together here, in this book! This is INCREDIBLE!!”

“Is he… alright?” Link questioned, searching for some semblance of sanity in the armoured girl at his side.

But she could only look at him dryly in return. This entire situation was without precedence and the swordsman’s talents had rendered them all speechless.

“You’ve really done it. You’ve broken Shad. Congratulations.”

The scholar pulled them both into a rough embrace, his laughter reverberating off the walls.

“H-Hey!! _Get off of me!”_

“Wh-Whoa, there…”

Link blinked rapidly in surprise as Shad released them both, keeping a shaky hand on their shoulders.

“Please! Do allow me to make this up to you both!”


	10. Secrets That You Keep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashei meets with Link to discuss his next assignment, sharing her own criticisms before leaving town. 
> 
> Link and Ilia share an uncomfortable conversation regarding her recovery. 
> 
> Shad insists on giving his bed to Link for the night, despite being frazzled from his own lack of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Oh man. I didn’t think this would be as long as it is and I still have tonnes to get through, ahaha. The shipping begins…!

**Chapter 10 – Secrets That You Keep**

It took Link and Ashei no small amount of persuasion to free themselves from the study and convince the scholar that his time was better spent on interpreting the new materials, rather than thanking them… grandiosely. At one point, he suggested getting out the fancy glasses from downstairs and purchasing the best wine in the cellar. Clearly, the time of day was inconsequential to this request.

But after being given permission to shut out the world and get straight to work – Shad decided to waste no time, despite a noticeable lack of sleep, and locked the door behind them. It also seemed that he would never need to leave with Ilia checking on him every now and then.

“Ugh. Sorry you had to see that. He gets carried away easily, especially where his research is concerned,” Ashei explained in a low voice, still feeling run-down from her trip back to the city.

The two were making their way downstairs into the empty bar, and pulled up a chair in the corner as Telma wished them good morning. She took the opportunity to start on breakfast before having to open up for business.

Link laughed awkwardly upon settling on the other side of the table, running a hand through his hair and hoping that the sand from the desert was finally gone.

“Shad isn’t always that intense, is he? I thought he seemed quiet. Nice.”

“Two things that have never been true,” his new partner said with a dry laugh.

“… R-Really?”

“I’m kidding. But he still feels badly about that whole thing on the street. It’s why he can’t wait to get out of his seat whenever he sees you.”

“I honestly wouldn’t have remembered if nobody brought it up… uh… not that I’m calling you guys forgettable…” the swordsman erred, cautiously.

But before Ashei could glare at him for the careless remark, her eyes settled on the bar area over his shoulder. A new aroma flooded the room, equal parts bitter and sweet, calling her attention instead.

“Coffee?” She offered.

“Yeah, thanks. Here, let me…”

Link returned quickly with the new drinks and set them down, finding some part of his brain clicking into gear upon the first sip. Rusl had warned him about this, he realised, before immediately dreaming up ways to take some of the mysterious beverage with him when he left.

“I was meaning to catch you earlier, actually. We’ve got a couple of things to discuss,” Ashei prompted airily, interrupting his thoughts.

“Ah, that’s right – the new assignment?”

“Obviously. The sooner you’re up to date, the sooner we can get started. Straight to it, then?”

Link nodded, doing his best to maintain a neutral expression.

In truth, he found the idea of hitting the trail again so quickly mildly nauseating. As the investigations became harder to solve and he reached further into the depths of Hyrule, he found himself having to transform into a wolf far more frequently. And after nearly suffocating several times in the Arbiter’s Grounds, he shuddered to think of what else could be next.

“Shad says you’ve been traveling… a lot, compared to the others. So, what’ve you found?”

Ashei sighed quietly over her own cup of coffee before she spoke again.

“I’ve been investigating Snowpeak Mountain, in the far north of the Lanayru Province. And I’ve noticed a lot of the same problems that affected Zora’s Domain when it froze. Things like… the weather being unseasonably harsh, spikes in monster activity, everyone in the general vicinity being anxious,” she listed, with gauntleted fingers.

Link nodded, having observed much of this first-hand on his travels.

“Sounds like the kind of place I need to see.”

The dark-haired warrior looked at him wryly, her expression shifting from calm to quizzical – indignant that somebody might enjoy such a disaster.   
  
“Need?”

“Yes! Like I said before, if there’s something wrong with it, I need to go. I have to find the source of the problem.”

“Not like the rest of us have a choice, either,” she muttered sarcastically.

The swordsman wanted to laugh at that – nobody had been so on the money about their actual lack of self-determination on the matter. But her tone had caught him off-guard.

He wondered what it was going to be like working with her.

From the other side of the table, the more experienced warrior _knew_ that this boy was capable – perhaps even more so than anyone else in the organisation, based on cold hard facts. At the moment he was their greatest weapon. She had come to accept this.

But seeing him here now, with his young, seemingly vulnerable face, it was difficult to believe. And his manner was so… low-key and collected… that it unnerved her entirely. The mystery surrounding this swordsman was a puzzle that Ashei knew she couldn’t figure out with any number of surface-level assessments.

And it made for a conflict of trust.

She snapped forward, after swinging absently in her chair.

“If you don’t mind me asking – you grew up on a farm, right?”

“Well… yeah, I did. Is… that a problem for you?” Link rebuffed, his cerulean eyes now scanning hers in opposition.

“Not really. But I am wondering who taught you to be so good in such a short space of time.”

“Rusl taught me.”

Ashei had expected this answer based on what she’d heard from Ilia.

While she would’ve had no trouble placing her life in the more experienced swordsman’s hands, she had never recalled him charging into hoards and working alone to clear the roads out of the city. Of course, he had a family to think about, but even then it seemed far too foolish a thing for him to encourage.

In other words, she detected a lie.

“Rusl’s good but not that good,” she smiled, boldly.

“Oof. Wanna say that to his face?” Link challenged, failing to hide the glimmer of amusement in his own eye. “He’s our town’s guardian.”

“Strange he didn’t enlist your help before, either. He’s known about the problems in Hyrule for a long time.”

“Ordon Village was always safe. Rusl tried recruiting me for years but it just wasn’t necessary, so I always turned him down.”

“Yet, here you are now. Fast learner, huh?”

The strangest part about this cross-examination was that Link couldn’t detect any real malice in the warrior’s words. Yet they weren’t exactly having a friendly conversation like in his interactions with Shad, or with any of the others. Her dark eyes seemed pensive, as though she were still making up her mind.

He then wondered if the best strategy was to match Ashei’s questions with his own.

“What about you, then, if you’re looking for proof to bear arms?”

“Me?”

“What makes you so good? I mean, you seemed strong, when we shook hands the first time…”

Being a woman in her line of work had opened Ashei up to plenty of criticism and doubtful looks over the years. However, since working for the Resistance nobody had really called her skills into question. She wondered if this was part of the reason she enjoyed their company – they seemed to trust in her without reservation, and she never failed to bring them results.

On second thought, the warrior also realised that she’d thrown enough rabble out onto the street to give pause to her colleagues… at the very least.

“My father trained me as soon as I could pick up a sword, like he would any son. I could shoot arrows from horseback with ease by my tenth birthday. And I took jobs around Hyrule Castle Town as soon as I came of age. All in all, I’d say I have at least 16 years of experience. This is all I’ve ever done. All I’ve ever known.”

Despite his best efforts to blend into Ordon village, Link had to admit that he was slightly envious of Ashei’s upbringing. She couldn’t have been older than him by a couple of years but her training was impressive. And she’d taken every opportunity that fate had either denied him, or that he’d turned down.

In contrast, he’d spent his entire life trying _not_ to draw any further attention to himself, and to carve out an ordinary life in the southern mountains. Yet, he loved to travel. Seeing every forest, cauldron and lake of Hyrule was the only solace to his ordeal fighting this war.

And some part of him _loved_ the fighting… as much as it terrified him to admit.

He was _good_ at it.

“Wow. It sounds like you’re pretty reliable, then. I… didn’t mean to make it sound like you weren’t. Sorry.”

Ashei sniffed loudly but she couldn’t be mad at his response. The swordsman looked back at her so intently that it disarmed most of the irritation she’d felt before.

“Because I’m a girl? Are you patronising me, now?” she said, rolling her eyes.

“N-No, it doesn’t matter what you are – I, uhh… I know plenty of strong women-”

“Just messing with you. Again.”

Link looked at her apprehensively before allowing himself to relax. Ashei blinked once but her expression hadn’t changed at all, making it very hard to read. It then struck him that Shad had warned him about this.

“Anyway, don’t mind all the questions, yeah? But I _am_ asking because the last thing I want is for you to underestimate this mountain. It’s good you can fight. But you also lack experience and this isn’t like putting up with some dry heat and extra water supplies. You can freeze day or night, if you’re not careful. And every fight you engage in will drain your stamina.”

“I’ll be fine.” Link assured, now confident of the wolf hide at his back.

“Blind confidence will get you killed.”

“Then it’s a good thing my senses are pretty sharp.”

Ashei felt her anger rising again as Link held her attention, entirely unperturbed.

“Breakfast is ready!” Telma called suddenly from the kitchen.

The warrior gave him one final, scathing look before she stood up from the table. “Let’s meet there in three days, then. We should both use the rest of today to rest and get some supplies but after that, it’s on you to prepare. I’ll use my head start to find us a lead.”

“Fine with me,” he concluded.

“And _don’t_ be late.”

Link then watched Ashei as she quietly took her plate from the bar and headed upstairs to her room, her endurance in regards to socialising spent for the day.

“Where’s everyone else? Still in bed?” Telma tsk-ed.

“I’ll take them upstairs before they get cold,” the younger man offered, turning his attention to the bar.

“Oh, honey. What would we do without you?” she sighed.

* * *

True to his promise, Link spent the rest of the day preparing for the journey ahead. The most pressing matter was the opportunity for the swordsman to catch up on his sleep, however this didn’t stop him from practicing in the quadrangle with Rusl as the sun went down, and drawing the attention of a small, enthusiastic audience.

As the afternoon melted into evening, he slipped out of the increasingly rowdy tavern and into the alley next to the kitchen, where he shared parts of his dinner with Louise.

All the while, Ilia chatted to him contentedly through a nearby window, as she washed glasses in the sink.

“So… when does this place actually _close?”_ Link yawned, leaning against the wall. He could feel every bit of the afternoon training session in his joints, coupled with a lingering fatigue from the desert.

“It mostly depends on our last customers but most of the time, before midnight. It’s later on Fridays.”

“But Telma gets up earlier than the sun?”

“Yep! And she does it everyday. And she’s never tired. I don’t know how she manages that, but I guess that’s also why I’m here,” she said cheerfully over the noise.

“People who’ve been around longer don’t need to sleep as much, honey!” Telma interjected over the rabble.

“That’s a nice way of saying old…” Link said under his breath, causing his friend to giggle quietly.

“Hey, this is your first proper night off with us, right?”

Ilia looked to him shyly through the window.

“Oh, yeah. I… forgot to ask about that. It’s fine, though, I can crash anywhere in town, or I can stay outside-”

“Nonsense!” the proprietress roared from the kitchen. “You’ll have a roof over your head here, even if I have to vacate the rest of the bar to get it!”

“There’s plenty of room but… with six, or seven of us here… hmm. We can set you up in the bar after closing time, or put a make-shift bed in one of the guest rooms.”

“I could always just… sleep on the floor in your room upstairs? If that’s – not too weird… I-I mean, we grew up together and everything, and I won’t be there if you need any privacy-” Link stumbled, suddenly feeling jittery.

He noticed Ilia smiling at him from the other side of the glass but her green eyes were lowered, now discernibly sad.

After an uneasy silence, in which he wanted to cram his fist into his mouth, she spoke again in a different, heavy voice.

“It’s… it’s not anything like that, Link. I trust you completely. But I don’t think that’s a good idea. I actually have… a lot of trouble sleeping at night.”

“Oh, Ilia, I didn’t… know. I’m sorry.”

“It hasn’t been the same since the… disaster. I wouldn’t want to make you worry.”

“No, no… I totally understand.”

The guilt of pretending that everything with Ilia was back to normal, and that she _hadn’t_ been missing for some weeks after being kidnapped, rained down heavily upon him.

There were no visible signs of this trauma on the outside, and stupidly, he had fallen for it.

For some time, all he could hear from the kitchen was the clinking of table-wear under the water. The white cat at his side then sprang into his arms, purring, as though to comfort him. But as much as he wanted to dig further into the matter and find out what exactly was happening – he knew that now was not the time or place.

“Have you seen Shad today?” the barmaid finally enquired, keeping her voice casual once again.

Link could not be more relieved of the change in subject.

“Yeah, I visited him this morning. Why, haven’t you?”

“No, he’s been strangely quiet in his room, apart from the occasional… shouting? I was wondering if everything in there was okay.”

“He’s doing great – actually, me and Ashei brought him some weird research materials from the ruins. He seems to love it!”

Ilia laughed in response, carefully and quickly drying the glasses in her care. Though it pained her to do so, she planned on making a strategic exit to the main bar.

“That explains it, then.”

“Why don’t you go check if he’s alive, and share the study for the night? I’m sure he won’t mind at all.” Telma offered, drifting back into the kitchen for ‘supplies.’

“… Sure, I’ll… go do that. In fact, that’s a great idea.” Link agreed, as some realisation dawned upon him.

While he didn’t intend on interfering with Shad’s undying dedication to his work, he also saw the opportunity to conduct some research of his own.

* * *

Link wondered what mood he might find the scholar in after the eventful morning they’d had – the last thing he wanted to do was encroach too much and too often into his space. However, despite their tumultuous first impressions, they’d actually gotten along really well… though as Ashei had pointed out this morning, it was at the expense of Shad’s ability to relax.

The curious younger man escaped the rowdiness of the customers downstairs and ascended into the hallway. He prepped the conversation he’d be having in his head before finally knocking on the door.

For a long while, nothing happened. Then suddenly, there was a crash.

“H-Hello? Shad?” Link called through the walls, knocking again. “Are you okay in there?”

“… Link?” the scholar said in a muffled voice. “Link, my apologies... I was… so entranced by this book that I… became deaf to the outside world.”

“You mean, you fell asleep,” the younger man clarified in jest.

“... If you would allow me a minute, old boy.”

After a brief moment of silence, he heard the locks click and the door opened to reveal an avalanche of reading materials scattered around the main working desk.

“Sorry to bother you – whoa.”

If Link hadn’t known any better, he’d have guessed that a wild animal had let itself into the room and ripped everything out of the shelves.

“Not at all. I… know it _looks_ bad but I have everything in chronological order, starting from the left hand side of the room. I guarantee this is all under control. And I’ve made so much progress!”

Now looking to the scholar for the first time in several hours, the swordsman realised that he had never seen him in anything short of an immaculate condition. However, the man in front of him now was completely dishevelled, with crooked glasses, an undone ribbon tie and dark shadows under his indigo eyes. In short, he was a mess.

“That’s… great. Have you considered taking a break?” Link found himself saying, albeit hypocritically, as his eyes wandered around the room. Even Midna had had to cut him off in the middle of assignments to prevent further injuries.

“A break? No, no, no. I’ve just had the most wondrous day of my life. Truly. You have given me hope for the future, and I am still _wracking_ my brain as to how to repay you.”

Link immediately discarded the notion that he’d be pestering Shad with this visit.

“Well actually, if you wouldn’t mind… would I be able to crash on your floor tonight? I don’t want to be in anyone’s way but there’s no space. And Telma suggested-”

“Absolutely! Yes! In fact, you shall take my bed and I’ll sleep on the desk!” Shad exclaimed, starting to rearrange the books in his immediate workspace.

“You’ll… what?”

Even to somebody used to sleeping outside, this seemed an uncomfortable arrangement.

“I’ve had years of experience, it’s easy,” the scholar said, smiling roguishly at him from across the room.

“No way, I’d feel terrible! Seriously, Shad. Just let me put some things in the corner and I’ll be fine. It’s already comfier than the ground.”

“Oh, _please._ Allow me to make this the first thing in my quest to properly compensate you – and you won’t be off the hook for some time.”

Link held his forehead as pieces of the room around him were thrown back into order, and Shad made a hasty trip to the linen cupboard. He wondered if there would _ever_ be a time in which the older man wasn’t set on addressing some past slight, or trying to repay him for doing things that had just sort of… worked out in his travels.

In fact, the only time he’d seen the scholar at ease was when they’d played that personality game with Ilia.

‘Ilia… I wonder if you’re really okay…’

“And we’re done! New sheets, relative cleanliness and sufficient lighting – that is, until you wish to rest.”

The swordsman blinked to see the sleeping area completely rearranged into a tranquil space with smooth sheets, overhanging lanterns and high pillows. Whatever tiny plants remained in the study were placed carefully on the shelves around the bed, adding blossoms of natural colour to the alcove. It made Link wonder whether Shad had bothered to remember his fondness for leaf green.

And though unintentional, music from the bards outside tied the atmosphere together into something that felt restorative, and almost magical. Protesting at this point was futile.

“I wouldn’t have come in if I was going to make you do all _this!”_

“I will take that as a compliment. Go on, then.”

The swordsman sighed, slowly setting his equipment down against the wall before flopping backwards into the bed. In all his years, he couldn’t recall being in a room this different to home, yet some part of it was so beautiful and removed from the world outside that he wanted to stay.

“You’ll laugh at this when I tell you… but my house actually is built into a tree in the woods. I really like it, most of the time. Except when it rains, then I’ve gotta move all my books.”

“You like to read?” Shad asked carelessly before being hit by the weight of his own rudeness.

“Oh, no, I-I didn’t mean to infer that… you _didn’t read._ I just… uh… I am so sorry.”

To his immense relief, the swordsman regarded him with humour and even smiled a little at the comment.

“There weren’t any libraries in our village but we traded enough with the city to get new stock in, pretty regularly. I collected books about magic, about the war, and… a couple of other things. I kept most of it hidden, too. I didn’t want anyone getting weirded out.”

The way that he’d trailed off gave Shad the impression that this topic was a delicate one, but he decided to press on, nonetheless.

“And why would that be? Did Ilia know… about this side of you?”

“Ilia and our shopkeeper, Sera, but no one else. The thing is, I’m not really from my town. My mother came from this city, somewhere… but she died in the war and I never knew my father. So, I did some digging around when I had questions.”

“I suspect that anyone would, given your situation.” Shad said gravely, looking to Link with some mixture of awe and sympathy.

Just then, it had struck him that he and the swordsman were more alike than he’d originally thought. Link’s pointed ears very obviously set him apart from the other provincial humans in their group, like Rusl and Ashei.

He was, in fact, a Hylian.

“Ah, I didn’t mean for this to be sad – I’m fine with everything. Really.” Link’s expression softened as he continued. “Ilia’s family took me in and never made me feel different to anyone else. Neither did any of the kids in our town. So, if everything goes well, I have somewhere to return.”

“I’m very glad. I can’t imagine any of this is easy.”

“We’ll get through it,” the swordsman promised, his eyes fixating onto a spot on the wall as he fought back the anxiety of the situation.

After a couple of minutes of absently unknotting his hair, Link relaxed enough to start changing out of his trademark green clothes and into his plain under-layer of white – causing Shad to immediately turn away in embarrassment. He fiddled with the books in the corner, consciously averting his gaze, as the younger man spoke casually to him again.

“So hey, I also wanted to ask you about a couple of other things – if you didn’t mind staying up a bit longer.”

“N-Not at all, in fact I’ve likely ruined my circadian rhythm for the week,” Shad admitted, wondering when it would be safe to resume eye contact.

“… I spoke to Ashei this morning. She’s probably gone by now but she seemed… sort of mad at me?”

Link sighed in frustration, throwing his clothes to the side of the bed.

“That’s normal for her, I’m afraid,” the scholar chuckled lightly. “What did she say to you? I thought we’d learned our lesson from the first time we saw you.”

“She, uh, picked up on the fact that I haven’t been doing this for very long. And she threw some dirt at Rusl.”

“Metaphorically, I hope,” Shad interjected, feeling that it might’ve been safe enough to throw some side-eye. He received quite a shock when he noticed that Link was now only in his shorts, staring up at the ceiling from the bed.

“… Ack!”

The younger man looked back at him, genuinely puzzled at the response. It then occurred to him that there was still so much new to him in Hyrule Castle Town and that there might’ve been some sort of etiquette to follow in this situation.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“H-Heavens, not to be… indecent, old boy, but… those _scars?!”_

“Oh, yeah… those, haha. Is it… bad? Here, I’ll put my shirt back on-”

 _“No!!_ I mean, no, you should… relax how you see fit. I’m afraid I am rather sheltered when it comes to fighting and… the rural way of life. Uh… please, don’t let me interrupt you.”

Shad cleared his throat before taking a seat at the desk nearby, turning to give his guest his full attention. With eye-contact. Like a normal person would.

Link smiled at the easily startled man and continued on his original line of thought.

“I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t have tonnes of experience. And I feel like I’m not fighting at my best. But… Ashei doesn’t seem to trust me. We’re meant to be working together soon and I just… I don’t know how it’s going to go. Maybe I made things worse by being over-confident?”

After a brief pause, the scholar looked back to him amusedly. These past weeks of fighting with the warrior had given him some rare insight into the machinations of her mind. In other words, he was the perfect person to talk to about this situation.

“It might not look like it to you, but she respects you greatly for what you did for Prince Ralis, and Ilia and Telma. And I genuinely believe that she would do anything in her power to help you succeed. One of her habits happens to be picking up one’s weaknesses and sort of… throwing them in your face, to get you to fight through it.”

“She helps people by _dragging_ them?” Link laughed.

“I never said it made sense,” Shad defended playfully. “She has a lot on her mind. In fact, forgive me Farore for saying so, but the situation at Zora’s Domain left her feeling rather shaken.”

The troubled hero thought back to his own initial shock of discovering when dozens of Zoras were trapped in the ice beneath him, contorted in the agony of their final moments. It was a memory that had disrupted his sleep for quite some time – and perhaps the most pressing matter he’d ever been tasked with looking into.

“She saw it, then?” Link said quietly.

“And Queen Rutela. Yes. In that moment, she… lost faith that we could win this war.”

“… I don’t blame her. I think I felt the same.”

After a brief pause, the scholar continued, with some effort to lighten the conversation once again.

“You’ll be fine. Both of you are so competent. Admittedly, I do wonder if you’ve stolen some of her thunder as well, being the youngest and as well as the strongest… please, don’t tell Ashei I said that…”

“What, then? Should I be _less_ of those things and be easier to work with?” Link asked, tongue-in-cheek.

“Maybe. At least you’d still terribly handsome-” Shad replied, suddenly crushed once again under the weight of his own audacity. But before he could flinch at the clumsiness of his words, the other man returned the favour.

“I think you’ve got that one covered.”

“Uhh… I-I’m glad I bring something to the table. Ahaha… haha. But no, it wouldn’t be practical for you to be any less than what you are. Just continue being… you. You are a treasure, Link.”

“I can never tell when anyone is kidding around here…” Link frowned to himself before he spoke again.

“I was also meaning to ask you… What’s your history with Ashei? Telma warned me about you working together, Ilia says you’re pretty close.”

Shad felt his blood run hot and cold at the same time.

“History? _Close?!_ … I don’t think anyone could be classified as close to her, or even really friends, with the exception of our lovely proprietress. She happens to be the one who recruited her.”

“Telma has that effect on people.” Link admitted, mimicking one of her trademark winks as Shad laughed.

“Indeed she does. But back to your original question, uh, no… I don’t suppose we are… particularly close. Our interactions have always been strictly professional.”

The scholar’s eyes settled onto the ancient slab that had narrowly missed his head earlier that day.

“Why, were you… interested?” he found himself enquiring.

“I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t.”

“Oh… Oh my. _R-Really?”_

“Yeah! I wanted to know more about how to work with her, if you guys were good friends. But it looks like you’re in the same boat as me, haha.”

As a lifelong city-dweller, Shad had to reconcile the fact that euphemisms were not the way to go with the younger man.

“Ah… haha. Y-Yes… indeed,” he acquiesced.

“… If I may also be so bold, you and Ilia are close friends, correct?”

Link looked back to the scholar with sincerity, now upside down from the bed, his face radiating a certain glow.

“Yeah! Absolutely. Ilia was my best friend growing up, me, her and Epona go all the way back.”

“I wonder, has she ever… mentioned me?”

“She really looks up to you and Telma. And she says you’ve been the best person to talk with about this whole thing. I haven’t been here as much as I should, so… I really wanted to thank you, again. You’ve been the light in this whole nightmare.”

“I’ve only acted as any person should.” The scholar backtracked, now feeling profoundly self-conscious.

“No way. You’re smart, compassionate and kind. And… this is gonna sound terrible but I can fight knowing that if anything were to happen to me - _you’d_ be there. I want Ilia to be able to have a normal life, after this whole thing… even if I’m gone…” the swordsman trailed off, withholding any traces of pain from voice with no small amount of effort.

From Shad’s perspective, this was not the first time others had placed so much trust in him where Ilia was concerned. In return, he wondered if any of it was truly deserved. All he wanted was for her to have the freedom that any young woman _should,_ outside of the horrors of her ordeal.

He also couldn’t deny the fact that Link’s absence had left a sizeable void to fill in terms of emotional support. And even though Ilia had never spoken to him of the things she’d chosen to forget, the loneliness in her eyes seemed to evaporate the further she stepped into his world and the longer she stayed with Telma.

As a result – the shoes Link left behind were ones he never wanted to stop trying to fill.

But before he would ever be selfish, he advocated fiercely against the nihilism of Link’s words. Something about them pulled heavily upon his heart: he could not allow this seemingly invulnerable young man to burn in the place of his friends.

“Please, don’t say such things. She will never forgive you if you don’t come back to us.”

“I know. I know…”

Eventually, Shad moved to carefully douse the lights as Link stared up at the pale ceiling… silently measuring the scale of the task ahead of him.

_‘Three pieces left, Link…’_

“You are loved a great deal,” the scholar said gently through the dark and muffled song of the streets.

“Thanks again for everything… Shad. I think I needed this whole… whatever this is. Having a nice, real bed for a change. And your advice. I’ll be here if you need anything.” He'd also known that he needed to gather the necessary resolve to talk with Ilia properly before he left.

 


	11. Dancing on Ice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link makes a late arrival to the Snowpeak region, where he must make sacrifices to keep the warrior safe. 
> 
> After being transported back to a difficult conversation with Ilia, Link wakes up in the midst of his own frightening situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Angst and action in this chapter! ;)

**Chapter 11 – Dancing on Ice**

Link cringed inwardly at the fact that he’d be arriving in the afternoon of the third day, since he’d made plans with Ashei.

If a strict schedule applied, then he really ought to have been there that morning… not that such rules were commonplace for the swordsman. Though time was _always_ of the essence, his ability to adapt to new situations and plan in the moment had always kept him firmly on the right path.

Admittedly, he’d found it difficult to jump straight back into field after the last couple of days in town. It hadn’t helped that his time in the desert was incredibly strenuous, or that he’d put himself through it all over again if it meant getting to spend more time with Shad and Ilia.

With this in mind, Link continued along the path beside Zora’s River, having left Epona behind at the northern end of the field. He took the opportunity to drink in the scenery as the sun crept down and the rushing waters transformed in the light – from crystalline blue, to iris purple, to dusky lilac.

Sheets of orange and gold played upon the river’s surface and spilled across the skies, beyond the increasingly mountainous terrain. The balmy atmosphere of the Lanayru Province was soon overcome by the sounds of crickets, frogs and fireflies, all competing against the roaring of the waterfalls.

With each step the lone Hylian took, it felt as though the world grew quieter… and a chill began to seep into the air.

‘This must be where the paths branch off,’ he thought, looking to the sheer cliffs of the waterfall basin on his right. Climbing up the ravine would have taken him into the Zora’s Domain itself. However, to his left was a flat area with pine trees and an empty campsite.

An unfamiliar grey mare watched him from the grasses nearby, fitted with red bridles and a dark, weathered saddle. She snorted loudly in his general direction as he approached.

“And you must be Ashei’s,” the swordsman said aloud in greeting, placing a hand on the horse’s side.

Link then looked toward what ought to have been the Snowpeak foothills. The first thing he noticed was an unsettling quiet in contrast to the sounds of the river at his back. The cold was now much more prevalent in the air, unfurling from the mountains in the form of a thin mist.

‘It’ll be quicker for you if you transform,’ Midna reminded him gently from the dark.

‘Yeah, yeah… I can track her from here. Did you really think I’d wanna run up that hill on these second-rate legs?’

‘Hmm, I always knew you were smart.’

After a brief scan of the area, Link stepped behind the trees and broke into his other form.

The initial sensation of his legs shifting and pulling him closer to the ground was still uncomfortable as ever… but the surge of power he felt afterward more than made up for it. Concentrating, he repressed the sounds and smells of the river basin and honed his senses towards the mountain trail, allowing the new air to fill and burn in his nostrils.

_“Wait.”_

The great wolf - a hulking mass of thick grey and white fur and striking blue eyes – gave pause and turned his attention to the horse nearby. It regarded him critically.

_“Something’s wrong. She disappeared this morning… to chase after a monster. Please, find my partner.”_

His ears pricked forward, in anticipation of the hunt.

“Stay here. I’ll bring her back.”

And then the wolf turned, bounding effortlessly up the slopes as the grounds below him flourished thick with snow.

* * *

The final rays of the evening sun bathed the white hills of the mountain in ethereal, flaming red light.

Ashei stopped to admire the stillness of the world around her, however momentarily, before she turned herself around. The snow of the day had already fallen on much of the heavy tracks that she’d followed from the basin of Zora’s River. In spite of the cold gnawing in the joints of her thick snow armour, she’d pressed on, determined not to lose sight of the rare creature.

But very soon, the night would take hold of the peaks… and for that she did not plan on staying around.

Sliding down from the slopes was immensely easier than climbing them, and would have saved much of the time between there and the foothills. At the base of this mountain lay a frozen lake and a grotto, etched into the same landmass from which Zora’s Domain was attached.

Of course, she expected Link to be waiting for her further down, at the foot of the valley where she’d spent the previous night.

And that was where she planned to return.

‘This is what you get for being late,’ she thought with mild irritation.

The prospect of catching up to this monster, curiously humanoid in its appearance, had been too good to pass up.

‘Guess it’ll have to wait until tomorrow, then. Ugh. What a shame.’

* * *

Before long, Link found himself buffeted by vicious, exhausting winds that had seemingly conjured themselves up after sundown.

Snowpeak was no longer a quiet stranger, cloaked in mist. Instead it roared with an intensity that might have matched one of the eruptions from the Gorons’ sacred lands. And here he was on the opposite end of the spectrum, in sub-zero temperatures, with only a single thick hide to insulate him from the cold.

He’d followed the tiny human tracks – which seemed to mirror something much larger – all the way from the base camp and was now on high alert for the lone, armoured girl.

‘This isn’t looking go-od…’ Midna hummed in her all-too familiar, melodic voice. ‘If you don’t find her soon, that girl will be frozen for sure.’

‘I know that but these tracks just keep going! We _have_ to be getting close!’

Just as he’d responded, Link felt the ground beneath him change into something hard and almost slipped over in his surprise. He dug his paws into the glassy surface, slowing his movement, before looking around and breaking free of the scents in the wintry air.

Disoriented, he spoke.

‘… It’s water. We’re on a body of frozen water… and the tracks have disappeared?’

‘So? Just go in the same direction! Use your nose if you have to!’

But then suddenly, he heard something new… something loud… and very sharp, echoing from the blue expanse that stretched beyond the lake. In fact, multiple sounds rang out from the area ahead, and they cut more audibly through the winds as Link closed the distance.

Now it was very clear: there was a fight going on.

Oddly, he couldn’t tell how many were involved. It seemed that there was one set of metallic footsteps, clinking and crunching lightly in the terrain, and the roar of several beasts, hissing through the air… with not a tread in the snow.

Link bolted towards the arena, his feet connecting once again with the powdered snow, before crashing straight in front of Ashei.

The warrior clutched her arm as she knelt in the weather, teeth gritted in agony, before looking up. She gasped in disbelief at the utterly bizarre development.

_“What… the hell… is going on here?”_

Tapping into his fighting instincts, the hero snarled ferociously at the pack of white wolves that had the pair surrounded – fangs baring and snapping, as they stood strong in the blizzard.

“… You’re helping me?” Ashei hissed, slowly picking herself up off the ground. Patches of blood clung to the evening snow, left in the wake of her recently savaged arm.

Link threw a cautionary glance over his shoulder and noticed at once that the ordinarily slim warrior was cloaked in a different set of heavier, white armour, and that the wolves had targeted her dominant sword-hand. They’d worked intelligently to bring her down, despite the unfair odds of six against one.

Her dark eyes cut through the blizzard and made contact with his own vivid blue, momentarily.

But before she could speak again, the pack of wolves barked and lurched forward, ganging up on the new intruder.

Using a similar technique against the Shadow Beasts, Link shook them off and planned to tackle them individually before crunching the remaining group into submission. It was here, that he noticed his fangs were making contact with something cold and very much _un-alive_ – evil beings, which had apparently manifested from the ice itself.

“Behind you!” the warrior shouted, swinging her sword heedlessly from her injured arm and shattering one of the wolves into an explosion of icy shards.

Link then sank his teeth into the throat of the one he’d pinned to the ground, feeling the spirit within it ‘burst’ away as he tore it in half.

With four wolves remaining, the pair found themselves back-to-back, engaging two at a time. Their assailants circled them briefly before breaking ranks. Then, the fray erupted.

His mind pulled him disjointedly through a series of split-second decisions: when to dodge; when to attack; and when to force himself into the place of the wolves’ jaws.

Their bites left several deep gashes where they’d connected with his body, immediately chilling him to the bone. It was like some cruel combination of tooth and winter, harnessed to sap his strength as well as cause debilitating pain.

However, injured Ashei was not as helpless as he’d feared.

She was focused. And _angry._

Using a fighting style he’d never seen before, and admittedly didn’t have much time to admire, her sword was her safeguard as well as her weapon. It certainly made sense now, why he’d never seen her carry anything as heavy as a shield around to begin with. And despite the obvious pain that it caused her, she was more than capable of defending the attacks.

There were minimal opportunities to retaliate and the injury had obviously limited her speed.

But it bought Link enough time to rush one of the wolves from the side and tear into its jugular, leaving just three survivors. Ashei quickly vanquished another as it lunged at her, falling onto her sword.

Now evenly matched, the two white wolves parted way… giving false reprieve to the unlikely allies.

“… Is that it, then?” the warrior seethed, gripping the bloodied hilt of her sword. “After all of _that,_ and you didn’t even wanna work for it?! Cowards!”

Before Link allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief, his ears stood straight, detecting subtle changes in the weather.

The winds died down to reveal a single hulking figure as it prowled towards them from the dark, growling low enough to raise the hairs on the his mane.

Ashei swore quietly as it revealed itself to be a White Wolfos.

Everything about this wolf seemed very different from its wraithly imitations in the storm. It was real, corporeal, and much, much larger. The creature flattened its ears and bared its razor teeth in a threatening display – poised to attack them both. This had to be the pack leader.

Link positioned himself in front of the warrior once again, taking a defensive stance, as he met the wolf’s ferocity with his own warning barks.

‘Stay behind me…’ he’d _wanted_ to say, keeping his eye on his comrade.

‘This thing is even bigger me, there’s no way I’m letting you near it.’

However, diverting his attention was a grave mistake.

“No!!”

The white wolf hit him square-on like a ton of bricks. Before it could keep him down, Link sprang back into action and manoeuvred himself out of the path of its powerful jaws. He whipped around, circling his enemy to draw its attention away from the injured human nearby.

At the very least, he’d wanted her to run from the battle as much as possible. But frustratingly, Ashei refused to move, watching the scene develop before her as she gripped to her injured arm, her sword reluctantly lowered.

The white and the grey wolf collided once again, and Link soon found himself over-powered by the heavy beast. Using its superior weight to barge him into the snow, pack leader then took this window of opportunity to wrap its jaws around his shoulder – just near the throat – and teared into him mercilessly. The jaws ripped easily into Link’s hide and went back and forth as they shook him.

They grey wolf yelped loudly in pain as the other inflicted its damage. He felt like the torturous moment might stretch on forever, until he heard something whistle and then – _thud_ – into his assailant from behind.

The white wolf clung onto his shoulder, snarling loudly, though it did so much weaker than before.

Before Link could react to the sudden change, Ashei kicked the wolf away and shot it again, in the face, with her crossbow.

She was panting with some mixture of exhaustion and fear, and looked over him with grave concern. Blood gushed heavily out of his wounds.

‘You need to turn human again, so you can heal yourself,’ Midna warned him urgently from the shadows. ‘C’mon, _get out_ of there! You need to go, now.’

Without thinking, he snapped viciously towards his ally, causing her to recoil. It might’ve worked – as terrorising humans into moving out of the way was an effective last resort – if not for the fact that Ashei was not like most people.

She drew her crossbow on him, taking a second to reload, despite the searing pain in her hand.

‘No, no, no! Not like that!’

Now in damage control, Link did the only thing he could think of and bowed down, emitting a mournful sound. He flattened his ears in submission – mimicking the dogs that roamed the streets of Hyrule Castle Town at night.

Any sudden movements here could have been fatal. But he needed to find somewhere to close his wounds – _without_ blowing his cover – and come back for Ashei when he was done, confident in the knowledge that she’d be able to hang on.

He stared back at her as his feet swayed unsteadily beneath him.

“… You’re not like the other wolves around here.” She said finally, glancing over his coat and markings.   
  
“You’re from the forest.”

Unfortunately, the young warrior was nearly just as worse for wear. Her arm was beginning to lose feeling. A single streak of blood fell from the corner of her mouth as she grimaced.

Fighting was not a viable option for either of them.

After a long pause, the warrior slowly lowered her crossbow.

“Leave me,” she commanded.

She watched Link carefully as he broke away, feeling no small amount of relief.

But before the hero could put this new plan into motion, both of them heard a heavy – _fwoom_ – sound in the distance, like snow dropping suddenly from a great height. The wolf and the warrior looked to each other once more, united in their panic.

Out-running an avalanche was an impossible feat for any human but with quick thinking, Link dove under Ashei’s feet, forcing her to grab onto his mane.

As the snow came crashing down the mountain, he sprinted across the lake and towards the only cover he could see – a cavern, facing out into the barren wilderness. The icy floor beneath him cracked as the landslide pummelled into the earth, spraying the area with a freezing rain.

He made it – just barely – under the cover of the grotto as the snow came thundering in.

He heard a scream.

And then there was only cold.

_And blackness._

* * *

Link and Ilia were sitting together on the roof of Telma’s Bar... at the enthusiastic girl’s own keen insistence. She’d lead him carefully out of the window and across the guttering, taking his hands gently as Shad had done with hers before.

He could feel the sun’s rays kissing the tender spots on his face, left behind by the Gerudo desert.

They were laughing – sharing in some private jokes – followed by something… new… and _uncomfortable._

Link fiddled once more with the glove on his left hand, distracted, before snapping back into the present.

“Ilia… I haven’t told this to anyone.” He heard himself say.

“And… I don’t want to make you worry any more than you have to. But nobody here knows what’s happening to our world. Nobody knows how close we came to losing everything.”

“… I can listen if you need it, Link.”

He felt more ashamed than ever of using his time with Ilia to talk about his own problems. And he knew Midna was there, judging him from afar… but he pushed it aside, as selfish as it might’ve been.

“I shouldn’t be saying any of this, you know, I-”

She held his hand once again, though this time her grasp was firm - determined.

“You’re carrying too much by yourself, just like you did back at home! And you’re guilty about what happened to me – but you need to _know_ that this was out of your control. None of this is your fault. I got myself out of that mess and I’ll be able to handle anything else, too.”

When light spirits chose him as the protector of their realm, he’d wondered whether this really was the case.

Was it possible that Ordon might’ve been left alone entirely… if he hadn’t been there?

Maybe if he’d done more to fit in, hadn’t done his own secret readings into magic or taken on the role of a leader amongst the villagers, he wouldn’t have tempted fate.

_‘Maybe if I’d just kept to myself…’_

“… You really don’t regret taking a stray like me in, after everything that’s happened?” he asked quietly.

“Is _THAT_  what you’re worried about? After all of this time? After everything we’ve been through?! What’s wrong with you…?”

Ilia had shouted at him rather intensely – causing a nearby flock of pigeons to take flight – and her thicket-green eyes were narrowed in pain.

_‘What’s wrong with me?’_

“I’m sorry! It’s just – I never… found a way to pay you back. And I don’t think I ever can. Not for what you and your Dad did for me, not for what these people are doing for you now, in my absence. I… feel like I’ve ruined everything, Ilia. I’m sorry.”

He’d seen for himself how happy she was in the city, and how kindly Shad had endeavoured to make her smile again. But in contrast to Ilia’s situation, he’d feared that there was no ‘normal’ life to return to.

He could never escape this war.

It was etched into his code… like the mark on his hand.

“You haven’t ruined anything!” She’d argued back at him, just as fiercely as before. “And you’re _here_ now, working together with these people to bring peace. That’s more than enough. You need to stop punishing yourself and start letting us in. We can’t help you if you don’t trust us!”

Then Ilia took in a deep breath, bracing herself for whatever was next.

“So, what is it that you really can’t tell your oldest friend?”

Link could hear his heart beating in his ears now. Midna was frightened – she’d pleaded with him to stop – and to get a grip onto his emotions before he regretted it.

He felt like the goddesses themselves might have struck him for the following words to leave his mouth.

“… Zelda gave her life for the war.” He confessed quietly, feeling the prickly aftershock of the words in his face. “And that’s only part of it. Everyone here’s under the impression that she’s still trapped in the castle but even if my plan works – and we make it in there – she’s… gone. Hyrule’s lost its last and only ruler. What am I supposed to do?”

“Wait… how do you… know that?” Ilia asked, looking to him with apprehension.

“I was _there,_ Ilia… before the castle fell. We both were-” he cut himself off before relaying too much about Midna, who was now very much shaken and in hiding.

“… Link, that’s so terrible. Did she say anything to you before it happened?”

“She’s… trusting in me to finish it. But it won’t bring her back… and I can’t tell the Resistance. Nobody can know I was ever there.”

There was an uncomfortable silence, in which Link wondered if he could've been helping Ilia, instead of it always being the other way around. Perhaps she’d found it easier to care for others… rather than being in that position herself?

She spoke again in a soft voice, interrupting his thoughts.   
  
“If we come out of this alive, I think we’ll be able to handle the fallout. People are a lot stronger than you think. And no one’s going to blame you.”

“… You can’t be sure about that. They’d probably hate me… if they knew everything.”

“I’d jump down their throats if they did! You could never be responsible for something like that.”

In a strange way, it felt almost like being at home again… with Rusl watching him grow, and Ilia willing to advocate for him if he raised too many suspicions with the rest of the group.

But even then… he couldn’t bring himself to let them see it.

His Twilight form.

“Remember, you’re not alone this time. You have friends here, and we’re more than capable. _Let_ us help you.”

“I’ll try.” He promised.

* * *

The swordsman woke violently to the smell of smoke and the warmth of a nearby fire, burning a light that bounced off the walls of the surrounding cavern.

He sat upwards at once and gasped loudly for air. His fear of the mountain falling onto him and burying everything in its path was still wired into the sinews of his body. But after engaging with the rest of his senses, the mind eventually caught up.

Link looked to his hands, blinking rapidly before touching his arms – his shoulders – his smooth face…

“AUGHHH!!”

And then slumped to the side, feeling every ounce of pain that had burrowed its way into his core. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that there were bandages under his clothes. They were wound tightly around his shoulders, swooping down past his neck and meeting underneath his right arm.

“I was wondering how long you’d be out.” Said a beast from the other side of the fire.

For a moment, he thought he might actually be dead and that the realms were finally out of tricks to play.

“What the hell is _that?!”_ he’d shouted, crawling backwards in shock.

But then – rather jarringly – the strange creature removed its head; which had heavy-set, fearsome eyes, adorned with fur. It revealed itself to be a pale human girl who looked over him blankly, blinking once in response.

“Oh… Ashei, it’s you…? What’s going on? Where are we?”

Link re-examined her with a critical eye, now recognising the warrior’s white-tufted snow armour.

“What happened to – AGH!!”

 _“Don’t_ touch your shoulder!” Ashei snapped at him angrily.

“It’s still healing but I cleaned it up and used a red potion to close the wounds. You’re lucky I got to it in time.”

The swordsman’s panicked expression then eased into some form of surprise.

“You… fixed me?”

“You’re welcome.” She shrugged, before tending to the Hylian bass she had roasting by the fire.

Though he were dealing with the most aloof member of the Resistance, Link noticed that she hadn’t bothered to look him in the face since they’d been talking…. which had struck him as peculiar, even for her.

‘She still hasn’t told me what’s going on here.’

It gradually dawned on him they’d been out in the snow together, running wildly from something… intangible – which might’ve also involved a wolf attack – before he’d woken up in terrible pain, in this breezy cavern.

Wolves.

_Wolves?_

_‘Oh no… no, no, **no…’** _

Link quietly watched the raven-haired warrior as she cleaned her sword, more withdrawn and ruminative than he’d ever remembered seeing her. Her eyes were clouded over with what looked like quiet anger and her lips, now slightly purple in the cold, were pressed together into a subtle frown.

He then turned his attention desperately towards the shadow that flickered upon the cavern wall behind him.

And noticed that his companion was crossing her arms.

‘Damn it… DAMN IT… Midna… I blew my cover, didn’t I?’

‘Well done, genius.’

He struggled to mouth the words quietly into his hat, so as not to arouse any further suspicion from the taciturn girl.

‘What the hell happened? I turned _human_ again?! Don’t you have the shadow crystal?!’

‘Don’t you dare blame this on me! You didn’t stop the bleeding in time and your body grew unstable, so you… sort of just shifted back. It was out of my control.’ Midna sighed with disapproval, though she weren’t nearly as mad as she might’ve been if this had happened to them much earlier.

‘You need to fix this, Link. She could cause problems for you in town.’

‘What am I supposed to do _now?_ How do I explain this to her without giving you away?’

‘Use your imagination! But don’t lie about it and make it worse. She isn’t stupid. And you need to be more careful – if it weren’t for her you might actually be dead.’

“You need to eat this.” Ashei interrupted, suddenly tossing the seasoned bass into his lap. Some of the salt flew off in the process and landed on his arm, scalding him slightly.

“Ow!!”

The swordsman dusted himself off and avoided her gaze, awkwardly fixing his attention towards the fire.

This was going to be a long night, he thought, wishing for the first time that he could be back in the desert and dealing with its malevolent spirits instead.

 


	12. A Soft Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link forces a confrontation with Ashei, who distrusts him completely despite patching up his injuries. 
> 
> Unable to sleep at night, Ilia accidentally frightens Shad before confiding in him about her condition. The scholar comes up with a strategy to help the recovery process. 
> 
> Ashei finds herself freezing cold and Link offers to help keep her warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Sorry this is so long compared to my other chapters! xD

**Chapter 12 – A Soft Universe**

If not for how inappropriate it would’ve been, Link wanted to laugh at just how disastrously this mission had gone.

After so many near misses, it felt absurd that a single uncoordinated rescue and a hostile dinner – weaponised at his expense – might undo his efforts. Yet... here he was now, forced to tread carefully along the line of exposure between his world, and the world of magic, and shadows.

Tentatively, he lifted the bass from his legs and took a bite, feeling some warmth and comfort restored to the rest of his aching body. The sound of running water in the back of their shelter confirmed his suspicions that they were somewhere along the border of the Zoran river basin.

When he hazarded a glance at Ashei he noticed once again that she was, in fact, ignoring him.

“…”

And somehow, this felt far worse than being interrogated about his past in the bar. At least when the warrior _was_ on speaking terms with him, she’d never held anything back.

She was unflinchingly… honest. Perhaps, that was why he’d enjoyed her company in some strange way. And despite the fact that he was now – _painfully_ – very human, her dark hair and fair complexion stood out to him in the dim light of the flames. He found her impossible to ignore.

‘Talk. To. Her. Now.’ Midna urged him discreetly, losing her patience.

‘Shh! I’m thinking of what to say, so I don’t make things worse-’

“What was that?” The warrior questioned, whipping her attention up suddenly.

“I-I said thanks, for the meal,” Link struggled, clearing his throat. “Did you eat something before?”

“Mhm.”

And with that, Ashei looked away from him once more.

‘Nice recovery,’ Midna sighed, shaking her head.

Link knew that communicating from this point onward was going to be like grabbing an angry goat by the horns… something that he was admittedly, out of practice with. His brows knitted in frustration before he continued. “So, uh… how long’s it been since we’ve been in here?”

“A couple of hours. We’re snowed in, so I suggest you focus on recovering before doing anything stupid.”

“No hours of digging and running around in the blizzard?”

Ashei met his eyes for the first time, shooting daggers with the glare she’d used.

“… Got it,” he sighed, taking a gamble with the sarcasm.

The warrior scowled, now inching herself away from the fire and the annoying man, who was doing his best to endure her scorn.

Meanwhile, Link was beginning to brace himself for what was to come.

The only way out of this mess was to _get_ through it – and deal with the anger as it came. If he wanted to keep on working with the Resistance, then he would simply need to try his best to mend things here. Sitting around in the dark wasn’t going to save his reputation in town, nor would it locate the next piece of the Mirror of Twilight.

He'd also remembered that Midna had told him not to lie... not that this was one of his strong points.

At the very least, he expected the following conversation to be interesting.

“… Look, can we… please just talk about what happened?” He then asked, readjusting himself into a more comfortable position. “My memory is all foggy but I remember… the avalanche… and the lake outside, where those wolves were. And I saw-”

“We don’t have to do this.” Ashei finally cut in, sounding more uninterested than ever. Her arms were folded beneath her snow cloak, hiding the extent of her injuries from before. “Just… _shut up_ and go to sleep, yeah? We’ll find a way out of here and I’ll brief you on the job tomorrow.”

“Job?” Link repeated, incredulously. His good nature was disrupted and the veneer dropped to reveal a very exhausted, very vulnerable young man.   
  
 _“Job?_ Seriously?! This isn’t just some fun hike in the woods for me!”

The swordsman gritted his teeth, pulling himself upward by his knees. His bangs obscured part of his face but his eyes were narrowed, sharpened with anger. “I care about what’s happening out there and I care about _you,_ Ashei! The longer I spent out in that storm, the more I thought I might find you dead. Do you know what that’s _like?”_

The warrior locked onto his eyes in response, reading this new reaction for any signs of weakness.

“Are you mad at me because I stepped in and stopped those wolves?” He continued. “They could’ve torn you, or anyone out there to shreds. So, is that what this is really about? Your pride, as a fighter? You told me to be careful and then _you_ ended up getting hurt!”

For a moment, she looked surprised… but just as quickly, she buried her confusion with cold contempt.

“What kind of reckless idiot puts their life at risk for people they don’t trust?” She asked him, delicately.

“You're a liar. And I hate working with liars.”

Immediately, the swordsman wanted to eat his words.

So, _this_ was how she saw him, he realised… back at the tavern and here, now, in this mess.

How could he have expected someone to trust him when he hadn’t done the same in return? Especially when that person's job was _investigating_ strange events - and all he'd done was conceal things from her... poorly.

‘Couldn’t you have just batted your eyelids at her, instead? You’re making things worse!’ Midna despaired.

“… Ashei,” he faltered. “It’s… not that I don’t trust y-”

“You don’t actually care about me, or any of us back in town. We’re just here to fill a role for you. So _don’t_ go pretending that we’re friends. You saved me because you needed information, and that’s all there is to it.”

“I would never do that!” Link defended. He found himself wishing that she’d just chosen to swear at him, or hit him over the head instead. At least it might have been more merciful than that response. “Enough people have died. I wouldn’t ever leave you out there because it was convenient, or _use_ you… in any situation. That’s not who I am.”

 _“Then what am I doing here?”_ the warrior spat at him, her eyes throwing red over the blaze.

“All this time, we’ve been fighting against some faceless threat, yet you have the luxury of choosing which information to give us – and what to leave out. You’ve got _your own_ agenda. One that you still haven’t disclosed to us. So yeah, looks like I’m just here to do tricks for you with my head in the sand. And if that’s how you want things, so be it.”

In light of everything that had happened, Ashei had struggled to bury the notion that they were all pawns in the hand of some greater, malevolent power. All the while, the true identity of their enemy remained unknown to them.

These were not the terms of a ‘fair’ war. And the fact that Link was not what he seemed was further proof that he _knew_ something that no one else did. In her mind, this had rendered everybody else defenceless.

She’d gotten up to leave - wanting to be anywhere else - before the injured hero went to stop her.

He reached out, meekly, but she smacked his hand away, sending fresh waves of pain up his arm and into the rest of his body.

 _“Go away,_ Link-”

“I couldn’t tell you everything because I made a promise to someone!” he capitulated.

This drew some attention, however briefly, from the warrior but he knew he’d have to keep going if he wanted to keep it.

“And I can’t break it to her, no matter what. But... if you have any _questions_ for me, outside that particular topic... then I’ll do my best to answer them, here and now.”

Ashei glared at him sceptically, though her anger had receded a little.

“You’re full of it. Wouldn’t you rather I put the blinders back on?”

It hadn’t really occurred to her that Link was duty-bound to protect someone else beyond his own involvement in the war. Of course, it seemed obvious now that he might have had such relations with other parties, given his strange powers.

She'd also considered the fact that this might be her only chance to discover what was really happening to Hyrule.

“I mean it. If there’s anything you want to know, then ask me now. I won’t lie. And I won’t dodge the question, unless I have to protect my friend… but I’ll tell you if that’s the case.” Link repeated, self-consciously. “Please, Ashei. I can’t do this without you.”

Deliberating some more, the warrior wondered whether it had actually been easier on everybody to operate under the guise of ignorance.

If she’d known his secrets… would it bring any material difference to their situation? Or would it simply raise the stakes and make everything worse? But in the end, turning down this knowledge was something that she just couldn’t bring herself to do.

With a small inhale, she finally obliged.

“… You’re a _wolf.”_ Ashei said in a low voice, reluctantly sitting back down near him, and the flames.

“I’m a Hylian, first but… yes. Sort of.”

“I checked to be sure but you have the same markings on your left hand, and they match the Triforce insignia on your new blade. Why?”

‘Wow, observant.’ Midna chimed.

Link smiled awkwardly, knowing that he wasn’t as much of an expert on his circumstances as he should have been.

Everything had happened to him so quickly after leaving the Ordona Province, that there hadn’t been much time to pull it apart. Nonetheless, he decided to settle on keeping his responses factual… and within his ability to answer.

“I’m… not completely sure why but it’s… something to do with my lineage, protecting me from dark magic. I was later cursed in wolf form but this sword had the power to make me human again. And after that, I retained both forms. So now… I can transform whenever I want.”

“You… were cursed?” She repeated.

Ashei had failed to hide the intrigue in her voice, leaning forward ever so slightly.

“By who?”

“… The person who’s responsible for all of… this.” The swordsman confirmed. “The one who started this conflict.”

“So you _know_ the enemy behind Hyrule’s demise? The same one who placed that barrier around the castle?”

“Yeah. I do.”

The warrior regarded him with some mixture of exasperation, awe and relief – that _finally_ – they would be able to pinpoint the cause of all the destruction.

“What is it, then?! Don’t they have a name?”

Link pressed on, hesitantly, though he could see that Ashei seemed riled up and ready to fight. Midna’s silence seemed to confirm that it was alright for him to continue talking… for so long as it meant keeping the human girl on-side.

“There’s… a King of Shadows. He’s a powerful magic user and nobody from our world can see or touch him, unless chooses to cross over. That’s why you’ve been fighting in the dark for so long. All these surges in monster activity, and events like Death Mountain growing unstable, or Zora’s Domain freezing over, are all connected to him. He’s been poisoning our world from afar.”

He paused before continuing.

“I don’t think I should name him here, not without compromising my friend or drawing his attention. Not that… she has anything to do with this. It’s… complicated.”

“You’ve put your faith into this other person, even knowing that you don’t have all of the facts?” Ashei found herself asking.

“… I guess I have,” the hero smiled, morosely. “And I plan to continue doing so.”

The warrior scoffed, though she would never admit that she found his resolve strangely admirable.

“At least you’ve confirmed there’s some embodied threat to Hyrule. And we’re not just going to hell in a hand-basket for no reason.”

“Is that what this feels like?”

Link stopped to consider the reality of fighting their situation with only the damage as evidence of Zant’s interference.

In her shoes, he might’ve gone mad.

“I searched _everywhere_ for an explanation.” Ashei continued. “And when I couldn’t find one, I just… didn’t know what to think, or what to believe anymore. It was like we’d been abandoned, and left to drown by the goddesses. But slowly… the land is restabilising. Through your doing, no doubt.”

The swordsman felt his heart begin to race, though he didn’t want to argue with her straightforward version of events. He’d always wondered if people would label him a freak or a monster if they’d known about his involvement in the conflict… or if they’d seen him in his Twilight form. However, in the warrior, he recognised somebody just as fierce, and dedicated to their cause. To the point where being a wolf was no big deal, just as long as he’d _disclosed_ it beforehand.

“Well… that’s why I’m out here now. I’ve been putting together pieces of… a ‘key,' so I can force a meeting with this king and destroy him.” Link explained, haphazardly.

“And you think a piece might be here, now, in the mountain?”

“It’s highly likely. Wherever the pieces appear in our world, they act as sort of like… the eye of a storm. They bring chaos to everything around them. And I’m guessing those wolf spirits were new to Snowpeak, right? Otherwise you wouldn’t have gone out there alone, after dark,” he smirked.

Ashei blinked, wondering when she’d missed the fact that her new colleague was actually perceptive and intelligent. Despite his radiant features and gentle manner.

“That’s… right.”

“The key fragments also cause supernatural events. Things like raising the dead, or bad weather patterns, like this blizzard. So, yeah… that’s my mission, I guess.”

Link took in a deep breath, feeling he might've finally won control of the argument. “I’ll need your knowledge to succeed, Ashei. But I’d never put your life in danger or use you to get there. I’m really sorry, again… if it seemed that way. I know I’ve made it hard for any of you to trust me.”

The warrior growled quietly as she hunched over, taking a moment to pinch the bridge of her nose. To say that it had been a _stressful_ couple of months was the understatement of the century.

“… No. Stop. I… owe you an apology. _Again.”_ She conceded. “There’s so much going on here. You’ve been taking care of business all this time and I… just lost it, when I saw you transform. It was like everything I didn’t know about the world slapping me in the face. This whole thing is my fault.”

The swordsman laughed, clearly surprised by the new development.

“I’m not mad at you. I mean, you had your reasons.”

Ashei slightly raised one of her eyebrows in response.

“What that’s it, then? Don’t just sit there, _defending_ me,” she argued at him, vaguely affronted. “Come at me with something!”

“No way. I saw what you did to that wolf.”

A begrudging smile crossed her lips as she regarded him, cynically.

“You’re no fun.”

“So… ah, what are you gonna do, then? You’re the only one who knows about my secret.” Link admitted sheepishly, grabbing the back of his neck. “And you could tell the others, if you wanted... I won’t stop you if you think they’d share your concerns.”

While it caused him no small amount of anxiety, Link had reached the point where he could no longer operate in the dark if it was going to cause any further problems with the Resistance. He’d have to make peace with it, the way he’d had to here, with Ashei.

“I’m not gonna run around town blabbing my head off, if that’s what you mean. As for the others… I’ll… defer to your judgement. I won’t say anything without your consent. On my honour.” She promised.

Link inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.

“Here, let me swear on it.”

The warrior drew her sword and angled it over the reach of the shallow flames.

“... This isn't some blood ritual, is it?” he'd asked, jokingly.

“I'm being _serious!_ Hold your sword against mine - didn't anyone ever teach you the knights' code?”

She looked to him expectantly, raising an eyebrow as he scrambled in the dark for his own. After the brief diversion, he crossed blades with hers – in a newfound accord. It reminded him briefly of his encounter with the Hero's Shade.

Silently, he also wondered if they might now be friends.

Shad had made it sound like some difficult challenge, but all things considered, Ashei was actually surprisingly easy to talk to. In fact, having the weight of these secrets off his chest felt amazing… even if it took a mountain falling on him to get there.

“Oh, and thanks... for before.” Ashei added quietly, as she sheathed her sword. “You probably... saved my life. I don’t normally end up like that. Ugh. Stupid.”

“Anytime. Thanks for healing my wounds.” Link smiled warmly at her.

The two colleagues eventually turned their attention to the fire, taking a moment to adjust to this new dynamic in their relationship.

‘Hey, nice work. I didn’t think you’d be able to do it. You’re hopeless with women.’ Midna praised him, back-handedly.

Link frowned and lightly swiped at his shadow in response, hoping that it wouldn’t raise any more questions. It was certainly harder to win one over his most sardonic companion with someone watching.

* * *

Sometime late in the evening, Shad found himself glaring down at the table - or more accurately, an inkwell - that he'd nearly knocked all over his research materials by falling asleep. With a frustrated sigh, he pried himself away from the desk, moving the offending item away to the nearest bookshelf.

‘What time could it be now?’ he thought, blearily measuring the position of the moon in the sky.

The study lights were burning scarcely once more, though this time he took comfort in the fact that there was nobody around who could possibly be rude enough to barge in and throw things at him, in his current state.

After a moment of deliberation, the scholar made peace with the fact that his productivity was spent for the night and decided to fetch some fresh water from downstairs.

He then looked forward to climbing into bed, which still, admittedly, carried scents of fresh grass, pine needles and burnt wood from Link's stay earlier this week. He'd felt guilty about leaving it the way it was... but in a room full of old paper, it smelt incredible - by comparison.

The scholar quietly settled that what his friend didn't know wouldn't kill him.

After placing his hand on the door handle, Shad stopped abruptly in his tracks, taken out of his thoughts by a noise from nearby.

“Hello?” he called, quietly.

The floorboards creaked in response, sending him a sudden spike of adrenaline.

“Who's out there?”

The scholar boldly swung the door open after grabbing the nearest candleholder as a weapon.

Blinking in the shroud of the hallway, he saw the white bundle of hair that was Telma's cat dart across the floorboards and up into the arms of another - someone shorter, and lankier, who seemed bright in the dark.

“... _Ilia?”_ he gaffed, startled.

“Oh, good evening Shad. Was I being loud?”

After taking a moment to adjust to light, the scholar could see Ilia very clearly now, as the blue of the night sky streamed in through the windows. She hugged Louise, who purred loudly, as she stopped at the end of the hallway.

“... Good evening, to you... Goddesses, I thought you might be an assailant.” Shad sighed, lowering his improvised weapon. “Forgive me, my dear, but what are you _doing_ at this hour?”

“I'm just going for a walk.” She said, softly. “Well, I know it's not entirely safe outside and I wouldn't want to trouble Rusl, so... I've been pacing the building. I have some company.”

Louise meowed quietly in acknowledgment.

Though the younger girl didn't sound particularly frazzled, it was certainly not a normal thing for a day-worker of her calibre to be haunting houses at this hour. And unfortunately, it was still too dark to get a really good look at her face.

Taking in this bizarre state of events, Shad decided to press on, diplomatically.

“I certainly don't mean to be tactless, here but... is everything alright with you? You can always talk to me about it.”

“Ah... I haven't needed to rest as much, lately. In fact, think it's much nicer to use this time for reflection. It's quiet. Serene. Like the whole world is still for a few hours.”

Ilia's eyes gleamed a little as she smiled at him, though it weakly concealed the sorrow in her expression.

“I realise the outright hypocrisy of _me_ saying this - but everybody needs proper rest. Unless... you've turned into some creature of the night?” the scholar gasped, playing up the weirdness.

“Where would you get a crazy idea like that?” She laughed.

“There are numerous books on the subject. _Most_ of them are terrible - I'll save you the trouble of having to read them... or having to go hunting, in this case.”

“You already know too much!”

Ilia shook her head amusedly, reminded of just how odd somebody like Shad would have been perceived in her hometown. Everybody in the city had this strange flair to them - like they were wholly dedicated to their interests to the point of it being a comedic routine. It was certainly never a dull moment with him around.

“In all seriousness... what is it, that's troubling you?” Shad intercepted, once more. “This doesn't seem like particularly healthy behaviour. N-Not that it shows.”

“So, it's okay for _you_ to be up all night?” Ilia sassed, playfully.

“I happen to be wired this way. And nice try, there - avoiding my question. But of course, I'll understand if you have your own reasons not to tell me...”

The fledgling barmaid took a moment to collect herself in front of the scholar's inquisitive eye.

Of course, he hadn't wanted to make her uncomfortable. But in contrast, Ilia worried for having relied on him too much. She inhaled deeply before placing her fingers along the sides of her forehead.

“Shad... I can't sleep properly at night. And I don't like thinking about it but... I can't do much with this time. This is the best distraction I have.”

“Oh, no, Ilia...”

Before he could pause to think about it - ever mindful of her personal space - the scholar came in close and pulled her into a gentle embrace. He'd started with one arm, wrapped lightly, _considerately,_ around her back, but Ilia pressed against him in return.

It had only been a couple of days since Link departed - and his goodbye hugs were always the best - but she enjoyed the new touch, especially coming from the courteous scholar. He held her attentively, now with both arms, feeling her head rest upon his shoulder. It might've caused him to blush if every part of him wasn't already glowing with positive energy.

“You'll need to stop or you're going to make me cry,” Ilia sniffed, doing her best to smile.

“Have you told anyone?” Shad asked, slowly releasing her. “Link, per chance? I'm certain we could both do more to help you-”

“No, no. Please, Shad. I don't want anyone else to worry about it. Telma's so busy, and I just... have these terrible dreams. I don't feel comfortable telling Link about them... because he's... in them.”

“Oh, my.”

“... He's in _all_ of them. I feel like it's driving me mad.”

The scholar frowned, failed by his lack of precedence in the matter. Nightmares about loved ones were something beyond his expertise, beyond keeping a dream diary there wasn't much else he felt confident in as a treatment plan.

And the problem could never really... _be_ Link, himself... that was impossible.

“... Well, until we can deal with it properly, I could always go with you - outside, if you need company or - a distraction! Yes!!”   
  
Carried away by the floodwaters of his excitement, the scholar dashed into the study and turned up the lights. Ilia blinked twice as she walked in, timidly, behind him.

They stopped before one of the tidier shelves in the corner, furthest away from his work-area, which was laced with a variety of colourful book-spines in varying sizes. The barmaid soon realised that this must be Shad's 'light reading' section. In comparison to the rest of the room, it was thoroughly kaleidoscopic.

“Wow.” She breathed.

“Which of these do you find more compelling? Or, perhaps 'boring' would help, in this case...” Shad winked. “We have Hyrule Historia, a common era Bestiary - uh, if that wouldn't be too unpleasant for you - _decently_ translated Gerudo mystery novels, Zoran poetry, an anthology of the most influential folk stories of our time, Hylian Art Through the Ages...”

Ilia laughed at him freely, feeling some warmth return to her face.

“I know, I know. My cultural collection is somewhat lacking.”

“No! This is... I'm very touched, Shad. You're always so helpful. I've read all the books in my room front to cover, but... it's just so hard to concentrate when I'm so tired.” She admitted.

“Well, just between you and me, Telma's romance novels are... second-rate.” The scholar smirked. “And that author... Edo, is it? A total drunkard. You can still see him down at that main bar, in the Western suburbs.”

The younger girl giggled quietly into her hands, mostly at Shad's hidden propensity for scandalous gossip. “I'll keep that in mind. And I really appreciate the new material... so, thank you.”

He watched over Ilia as she selected a bundle of books from the shelf - one of them containing the legends of the light spirits - and faintly wondered if he were good for _anything_ else, besides reading.

'What would Link do in this situation? Take her to the nearest Fairy Fountain on Epona? All I can do is read to death...'

But then, another solution hit him.

“Well, how would you feel we took these to your room and I read them to you, instead?” he asked quietly.

Ilia turned back towards him, cradling the new materials against her lap. She was visibly startled by the generous offer. “But... you already have such a heavy workload. I'd feel awful.”

“You seem to be forgetting that I am an insatiable reader,” the scholar said with a smug expression. “It is no trouble for me. And, well, there's no guarantee it'll _help_ you but... we could give it a try. If you like.”

“... I think it might help... to hear your voice.” She then admitted shyly, looking to the ground.

Achingly, Ilia had wished to be free of the horrible events that brought her to the city. She wanted to stand as a fully realised adult in the face of the war - and to have Link trust in the fact that she was _okay._ However, mutely... she conceded the fact that she wouldn't be able to help anyone else in her current state.

Healing was going to take more time. And it was completely out of her hands to speed up the process.

“Then, it's settled!” Shad exclaimed.

Gently, he relieved Ilia of the books in her care and followed her into the adjacent room.

The white furniture of her bedroom was bright periwinkle in the dark, causing the scholar's eyes to strain as the nearby lamp brightened on. With some hesitation, Ilia then climbed into the bed, propping the pillows under her as she sat forward. Her sheets had already been folded in neatly - in defiance of her insomnia.   
  
Rather oddly, the scholar also noticed that a spare curtain had been tossed over the dresser mirror. But now was not the time to ask questions.

“Perhaps I should talk softly, so as to avoid getting a crowbar to the face,” Shad joked suddenly, clearing his throat with apprehension.

Ilia merely regarded him with a decisive look on her face. “What are you worried about? You're just visiting! I visit you all the time.”

“Y-Yes, but... it could be construed differently - if I were to impose on your space at this hour. People might think I was being... _advantageous.”_

He hoped that she'd caught his meaning, unlike a certain blonde swordsman.

“It's fine!” Ilia argued, stubbornly. “You're more than welcome in here, Shad. We're friends. And I can make my own decisions about who comes into my room.”

“Of... course.”

With a nervous chuckle, he then considered the books in his grasp.   
  
“So, where would you prefer to start, my lady? Beasts or poetry?”

* * *

“Hey. Before we wrap things up, I’ve got a lead for us to follow tomorrow.” Ashei announced to the room, pulling Link's focus out of the flames. Since their prior conversation, he'd found his thoughts drifting erratically between his ties to the light world and his mission to redeem the world of twilight.   
  
“And I’m all ears if you've got any suggestions for getting us out of this cave. But let’s not worry about the details right now. We’re both wrecked.” She sighed heavily, growing tired at their lack of resources.

“Ah...” Link stalled, taking in the azure gloom of their surroundings.

Slivers of moonlight streamed down from the ceiling, illuminating the rocks and old pieces of driftwood that lay scattered across the ground. Though the main entrance was well and truly blocked off with snow, he noted, once more, that there was indeed a stream in the distance of the cavern. It was enough to give him a hunch.

“I think I’ve got something. If I transform, I'll probably be able to dig us out of here, without flooding us in. But... it’ll work better once my shoulder’s rested.”

“Sure...”

Link then returned his gaze to the warrior.

She had been sitting very quietly on his left, her jaw clenched tightly to stop it from chattering. Ashei was already so pale... but he noticed the splash of colour on her cheekbones and the bruised tint of her lips. It had been easy for him to forget that she was every bit as frail as he was.

“You look… _really_ cold.”

“There’s not enough dry wood for a decent fire in here. But I’m fine.” Ashei scowled, breathing into her hands through the crisp air.

“Oh, well… I’m feeling it too,” he admitted, candidly. The temperature certainly wasn’t helping the lacerations under his bandages.

“Why don’t you transform, then?”

“Because the last time I did that, everything went _really_ badly … and it’d still be weird now.”

She found herself laughing genuinely at his response, as she threw another bundle of sticks into the hearth. “Well, I’ll manage by myself, _thanks.”_ The warrior rebuffed, carefully meeting his eyes.

“Are you sure? It'd probably be easier to manage together.”

Though she had suspected as much, Ashei was taken aback by the boldness of what she'd just heard him say. She shot a stern look toward Link who seemed entirely unfazed.

“... Did I say the wrong thing, again?” he asked her, unsurely.

She gave him a moment for the implication behind his words to sink in.

“Oh... _right_ \- I didn't mean anything _bad,_ or sleazy, I just thought... it would help.”

“Are you serious?! That's the worst cover-up story I've ever heard!” Ashei snapped at him, suppressing the urge to laugh her head off. It certainly wasn't everyday that somebody insinuated themselves into her personal space. “You're unbelievable.”

Not knowing how to fix the situation, Link winced as he drew his knees closer to his face. After spilling nearly everything about his secret identity, he knew he'd grown complacent - and that this time, he'd stepped over the line.

It hadn't helped that Ashei was actually - _wildly_ \- beautiful and had probably heard this sort of thing before, in an entirely different context. He supposed that hanging around Telma's Bar would have brought on its own share of admirers and that he, in comparison, must have seemed too naive, too immature, to be taken seriously.

'That's it! That's the final straw. I'm calling an intervention, Link.' Midna observed from the shadows. 'I'm going to have to teach you how to talk to people your age, without making them totally uncomfortable. It's too painful to watch. I'm done.'

Nobody could be more shocked than he was when the warrior quietly got up and sat beside him, draping the side of her coat over his shoulder.

He blinked wildly, feeling his heart leap into his throat and adrenaline burst out of his stomach. In return, she looked at him sideways with an incredulous expression.

“… If you tell anybody about this, I will end you. And _no_ touching.”

“Y-Yeah, of course... uh, thanks...”

Now hyper-vigilant of his own words and actions, Link did his best to steady his breathing and calm himself down.

'Psh. You're lucky you're so pretty.' Midna teased.

He then watched nervously as Ashei reached into her pocket for a flask and took a swig of something that burned his nose. “What's in there?” He'd asked, scrunching his face.

“It’s whisky. It helps with the cold.” She said, giving it a light shake.   
  
“Did you want some?”  
  
The swordsman averted his gaze, hit with the sudden realisation of his youth. “I can’t 'til my next birthday. If Telma knew, she'd definitely kill us.”

“So? You’re old enough to die for Hyrule,” she reasoned, with devious smile. “One sip isn’t going to hurt you, I promise.”

“… Well okay, I guess? It can’t be any worse than my potions.”

Link took the open flask to his lips, promptly choking upon the fumes within. The feeling was worsened tenfold as a caustic liquid hit the back of his throat and rained like pins and needles, all the way down. “Wh - _what the f-”_

“Feel the burn? Good. That means it’s working.”

“You _drink this voluntarily?!”_ He spluttered, regarding Ashei with pure horror. “Is this what I'm supposed to look forward to? It’s awful! Don’t let Shad bring me anything like this!”

She laughed airily at his comments, having expected a similar sort of reaction.   
  
“I'll have him bring you something lighter. The look on your face, though - priceless.”

Their fire dwindled into a benign ember as the night passed, with low flames, but enough heat to last for another couple of hours.

Eventually, Ashei grew tired enough to let her head sit _very_ lightly against Link's shoulder. He felt the steel and bones of her upper arm and knees against his side, enjoying the warmth... though she was very much the opposite of soft.

Upon running his fingers over the folds of his bandages, it had suddenly occurred to the hero that she’d had to have pried the upper layers of his clothes off in order to fasten them around his shoulder. He blushed deeply at the thought, before checking-in with her once more.

“Sorry about all the blood everywhere – before, I mean.” He stumbled awkwardly in the silence. “It must've been hard to deal with after... everything that happened. How's your arm? Didn't you get torn up pretty badly?”

“Yeah...” Ashei responded dryly, prying back her winter coat.

The grey outer-layer of her clothes hung in strips along the arm, matted with blood. And although the wounds underneath were closed, they still appeared to be incredibly raw and ragged, like a series of pink scars inflicted one top of one another. It seemed all the more crude and painful on her delicate wrists.

“Does it still hurt?”

“It burns like hell but after the potion I’ll manage. Though, I actually have far less injuries than you do.”

'Oh,' he thought, upon realising that she'd noticed the weathered state of his body.

“Anyway, I’m not bothered. I like someone who can take a hit.”

“Well… that’s good then.”

The warrior quietly drifted off some time before he closed his own eyes, enjoying the earthy scents imbued within the fibres of his tunic.


	13. The Art of Envy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ashei returns to town and discusses the Snowpeak assignment with a curious Telma and Ilia. Link catches up with her shortly after and the two hang out in the bar. 
> 
> Shad emerges after a long week of studying upstairs, only to find Ashei and Link spending an evening together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This chapter ended up longer than expected... so I've had to break it into two parts. xD And just a heads up, this section will be a little lighter compared to some later ones. The angst is coming!

**Chapter 13 - The Art of Envy**

"Ashei, honey! You're back!"

"Hey, Telma. I'll have a shot, if you're serving."

It had been several days since Link left town and nobody knew when to expect news from the Snowpeak expedition until him and Ashei returned from the north. Therefore, it was rather unexpected when the warrior turned up at Telma's Bar one morning of her own accord, feeling rather accomplished... and with the glint in her eye to prove it.

"Starting early, are we?" The proprietress quipped. "Coming right up."

The warrior pulled up a spot at the counter, setting her equipment loudly onto the floor. Telma smirked as she reached towards the back of a shelf for a certain bottle - though it appeared to be missing an official label, the makeshift cover clearly depicted a skull and bones.

"This stuff will eat through the floorboards if you're not careful." She winked, sliding the glass to Ashei.

Upon hearing the new conversation from the kitchen, Ilia immediately pivoted out to join them.

"Oh, good morning! Glad to see you're alright. How'd your trip go?" she enquired. "... Did Link do anything stupid?"

Ashei laughed grimly before she threw the shot back, shaking her head to distract herself from its bite. "We both did plenty of stupid things. But all things considered... I think it went alright. I gave him my rations and hung around the river for a couple of days for support, though it looks like he didn't need it after all. He should be back soon."

"... I have to say honey, I'm surprised you came back alone. I take it you finally trusted the boy enough to let him handle things?" Telma enquired, placing her hands on her hips.

"Eh. Turns out he had a couple of skills I didn't. I was only going to slow him down, yeah?"

Ilia giggled a little, in spite of the warrior's more serious demeanour. Link had obviously grown a lot since they'd left their hometown but in her mind, he was still the same clumsy disaster of a friend - one who always came through when needed - but who lacked cultivation, nonetheless.

"What happened out there? ... It sounds so exciting, I want to hear about everything!" she said, glimmering with excitement.

Ashei greeted the younger girl with a faint smile.

It was obvious that she imagined the north to be more _adventurous_ than it was dangerous... or cold, bitter and damp. Although the events of the previous week had absolutely worn her out, she eventually found herself caving in to Ilia's optimism. Even Telma couldn't hide her own curiosity at the contents of their mission.

The warrior hated repeating things twice, as Shad was usually the one to record their progress, but in this case she would make an exception.

"And just between us girls, everything you say here will be _confidential..."_ Telma grinned, leaning in over the counter.

Ashei rolled her eyes, refusing to indulge in the older woman's fantasies.

"... Right. I'll keep that in mind." She began. "So, I don't wanna shoot myself in the foot here but... we started off being snowed into a cave. It could've taken forever to get out but... Link-" The warrior paused for a moment, thinking of how to navigate the following scenario without raising too much suspicion. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on her - given the pains she'd gone through to shake the truth out of the younger man.   
  
"Managed to dig us out. My arm got mauled pretty badly."  
  
"... I'm sorry, you were _mauled?"_ Ilia gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"By a pack of wraiths that took the form of wolves. And then an actual wolf appeared... damned monster of a thing."   
  
The warrior pulled back her sleeve and removed her crunched up gauntlet to reveal the lacerations from the attack, stretching all the way from her wrist to the inner elbow. With the help of a potion, the wounds had healed into white scars, though some ran rather close to the bone.

"Wow, honey, you've really been through it." Telma said, raising her eyebrows in surprise. She turned around to fetch the bottle she'd poured before, topping up Ashei's shot glass before sitting it beside her on the counter.

"It's my sword-hand, too." She scowled.

Ilia frowned back at the warrior, visibly shaken. "That's awful! Ashei, I'm really sorry, I didn't realise something like that had happened to you."

"Don't worry about it, it comes with the job. As long as I look after it and keep on top of my training... it'll be fine."

She slammed down another shot of spirits before continuing. "Anyway, don't you wanna hear the best part? Link had this idea to go through the back of the cavern - which ended up being this cramped up _hellhole_ of a place - but then we fell through the floor... and crashed straight into the Zora's throne room."

"... You did what?!" The barmaid gasped.

Telma threw back her head in laughter, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Oh, _no..._ Trust you to manage that! I thought at least one of you would've shown more finesse."

"Prince Ralis was pretty shocked," Ashei smirked. "But once the awkwardness wore off, he was more than hospitable. He wanted to know how both of you were doing. Especially you, farm-girl." She tilted her head lightly towards Ilia, who failed to hide her astonishment at this piece of news.

"He gave me this letter - you can relax, I didn't open it - I assume he's writing to thank you again, formally."

"Or... it could be... a future _marriage_ proposal!" Telma swooned.

"Thank you, Ashei," the barmaid cut in, swiping the letter from the counter before her employer could get her hands on it. She then stuffed the envelope it into her apron, looking at Telma crossly. "I don't need to be thanked! But... I just hope he's doing better now. He's been through so much, especially for someone so young."

"He'll make a good ruler - he's a mature kid for his age." The warrior praised. "And you did good... saving him, especially after everything that happened to _you._ His mother would be proud of you, yeah?"

Ilia blushed slightly as Telma watched over the two with approval.

"It's not a big deal. I did what anybody should've done."

"Don't underestimate your good nature, honey. You're a diamond in the rough around these parts. And I'm sure that's why our lovely Prince decided to write to you-"

"Anyway, _moving on,"_ Ashei interjected on Ilia's behalf. "I showed him this sketch of a creature I'd spent the whole day before chasing into the mountains. Turns out, it'd been showing up at the river every couple of days to catch something called a Reekfish. And they're notoriously difficult to catch with a rod."

"Link's really good at fishing," the younger girl piped up excitedly. "Something like that and he'd be stuck on the water for days, trying to prove everyone wrong."

"Well, _thankfully,_ we didn't have to wait that long. Turns out, the coral on the Prince's earring was just what we needed... so we used that. Only took us a couple of minutes, once we went down to the river basin to give it a shot." As far as field assignments went, this had been one of the more pleasant requirements to fulfil. But it did seem all the more strange... that their progress hinged upon pulling a single fish out of the river.

"Quite the dream team!" Telma winked from across the counter.

"Ugh."

Ashei began to pour herself a third shot, feeling the warmth of it rushing through her face, down to her fingertips.

"Anyway, once we had that as a lead... I decided to take a step back."

"Oh?"

"I knew Link would be able to track it down and handle the rest." She paused before continuing, meeting Ilia's gaze she spoke. The warrior wore a soft smile - one that was rarely used but for moments like these, where she _could_ show sincerity. "He's a really... rare type of guy. You're lucky you've got someone like that on your team, back home."

"He's always been good like that." The barmaid relayed, mirroring her endorsement. "And I'm sure Link really enjoyed working with you! You're really impressive, Ashei."

"Stop that, yeah? Link'll be here shortly. You can ask him all about how terrible I am, then."

She then took the third shot of her drink, silently looking forward to the occasion. Conducting talks about the state of the castle would have to wait.

* * *

As the early evening took hold of the city, Shad drifted out of the quiet of his study and descended into the anarchy that was the bar. Though it weren't a full house tonight, the noise levels were voluminous enough to be considered 'busy,' and the smattering of patrons throughout the main floor seemed likely to grow.

The scholar was calmly elated over the fact that he'd almost cracked the code on the Sky Writing - insofar as one could with a series of tattered pages and an ancient plaque. In addition to this good news, he was conscious of the fact that either Link or Ashei were due to arrive any day now, and he wondered if he might be lucky enough to see either of them tonight.

"Well, well. Look who's finally decided to join us!" Telma greeted as Shad took an empty space along the main counter.

"Best of evenings to you, Telma," he said warmly, adjusting his glasses.

"Just the usual, then? How's that work going, honey?"

"Fantastic! In fact, never better; soon I will have a tangible case for us to follow - though there is still so much new information... It is rather a lot to process."

The bar owner set a recently polished wine glass upon the table, pouring a drink as she continued.

"Before long, you'll be autographing your own works on the subject. Mark my words, you're well on your way to becoming a heavyweight in the academic community. You should be proud of yourself!"

"Thank you, truly. I... couldn't have done it without your support, Telma." Shad admitted, smiling wistfully. "I'll also owe my accolades to Link and Ashei... for gathering the necessary resources."

"Well, they're just over there if you wanted to go and thank them now." Telma said, gesturing to one of the tables situated near the door.

The scholar turned to see the blonde swordsman and dusky warrior sitting opposite one another, drawn into their own conversation. The pair seemed completely untroubled by the chaos around them and their swords were crossed together, tucked under the table.

"Heavens, you're right! I wonder, how long have they been back?"

"All afternoon, actually." The proprietress grinned.

"Ah."

It had struck Shad as somewhat odd that neither Link nor Ashei had gone upstairs to see him upon arriving back - something that he'd grown strangely accustomed to. But before he could think too much about it, he questioned whether he'd perhaps grown entitled to their time... especially given the demands of the mission they'd just shared together.

Though his academic journey had felt akin to facing a hydra - with more questions bursting forth for each one he could answer - he quietly accepted that it wouldn't have compared to the perils faced down by either of them in a single afternoon.

Perhaps if he'd been someone else, he might have his own humorous anecdotes to share with his friends. In comparison, being shut in a room for several hours a day offered little in the way of bonding with others.

It was enough to make him think twice about interrupting their conversation.

"You've been staring at them for quite some time." Telma prompted him, quizzically. "I thought I suggested going over there and saying _hello."_

"Goddesses, Telma, you startled me!" Shad gasped, taken thoroughly back into the present.

"What? Did you forget about me, already?" She tsk-ed. "... You look like you could use a top-up."

"Yes... thank you, my friend. That would be lovely."

The bold redhead filled his glass once more, after having watched the scholar drink it all in one sitting with his attention across the room.

"I... suppose their last assignment went very well, then?" Shad said quietly.

"Well honey, they're both _alive,_ so I'd say so. I'm sure they could tell you about in greater detail if you went over there for yourself."

His eyes, which were the deepest shade of purple in the dim lights, glanced back and forth between Link and Ashei.

He followed as the swordsman, who happened to be facing away from the bar, said something to the warrior that resulted in her laughing and shaking her head. It was here that he noticed something about her that he hadn't been able to place before.

Was she... happy? Or at the very least, _not_ annoyed.

The more experienced fighter was usually in the habit of interpreting her surroundings with a grain of salt, which often resulted in a haughty expression - under which most men would crumble. The give-away was in her eyebrows.

Even on her best days, Ashei wielded her cynicism in the name of humour.

But watching her now, the scholar could see that the knives were, curiously, lowered. Her face carried a fluidity that suggested a level of ease and comfort around the younger man that hadn't been there before. She smiled freely in his presence and had no trouble touching him on the arm... leading him to believe that whatever doubts she seemed to have about Link were now either well-hidden, or quite simply, gone.

Shad fought against an unrest that began creeping into his palms and gnawing at his stomach. It felt cold - and electrifying - all at once.

"I wouldn't want to intrude on what appears to be a... _moment."_ He said, finally.

Telma glared at the back of his head, frustrated by the scholar's unsettling reaction. "Now you're just being _rude,_ honey."

"... You're not feeling jealous, are you?" Ilia piqued as she folded her arms and leant over the counter.

"Oh Goddesses! Ilia...!"

Being caught by the barmaid in such a vulnerable moment sent the scholar over the edge, causing his face to sting with embarrassment. "Ah... haha. Surely not. W-What would I need to be jealous of?"

The younger girl wore an ambiguous expression, though she did little to hide her amusement.

"Come on, Shad. I mean, even _I_ am... a little. Link's never had other friends around his age before. And they have so much in common, don't they?"

Of course they did, Shad argued to himself.

How could the two youngest fighters in their group - who showed promise beyond their years - possibly _not_ have anything in common?

Link had confided in the scholar about his fears of being an oddity in his home village. Yet, here he was now, excelling at something he was clearly put on this earth to do. Years of experience seemed to be condensed into a couple of months of training... and miraculously, he only seemed to be growing stronger.

In comparison, Ashei turned her back on the social norms one might expect of a woman of her age and had beaten the city guards at their own game, if her employment history was anything to go by. She'd turned combat into a way of life - a philosophy, in which one could only be as strong as they were authentic.

For both of them, spending the night in the tavern might have been a luxury... one that could never live up to the excitement of life on the road.

"I suppose they do..." He said, in response.

Ilia smiled at him as he turned around, meeting her softer viridescent eyes for the first time.

"But on the other hand, I'm really glad Link gets to meet new people. He would never have gotten to do any of this back at home. And I knew he'd settle in, with time. Ashei seems happier, too."

Shad then watched as the two fighters initiated an arm-wrestling match on the table, with Link using his non-dominant right-hand and Ashei using the side on which she wore a compression bandage... obviously going for comedic effect.

For an intense moment they were locked together, and the warrior looked as though she might be in pain, before she'd slammed the younger man's hand down onto the table with a loud - _smack._ Ashei appeared to be scolding Link - presumably for throwing the match - before he'd dodged the napkin she scrunched up and threw in his direction. The two then burst into laughter, drawing the attention of the patrons around them.

"Wow! I don't think I've ever seen her act so silly." Ilia observed, mirthfully.

The scholar blinked... self-conscious, at last, of how long he'd been staring at them from across the room. "Link certainly has a way... with people." he began. "I mean, he's just so personable - and _talented_ \- and..."

"Beautiful." Telma declared unabashedly, coming back to their conversation.

"Incredibly so! I mean - the _ordinary_ amount... as far as nice appearances go..." Shad struggled.

"Just go over there already, honey. And stop being so miserable! You're a grown man whose career is about to take off! Show some confidence and..." Telma stopped short as she noticed Ashei and Link initiating round two of their arm-wrestle, this time, pushing their chairs behind them and standing over the table. "For the love of Nayru, please _stop_ them before they smash something. Do you have any idea how many glasses I go through in a week?"

"I can make no promises, Telma."

Shad took a moment to collect his thoughts, unused to the strange energy that had taken hold of him in this moment. The proprietress watched with folded arms as he finally plucked the courage to get up and leave, taking another sip of wine as he went.

"He can really be over-flustered at times, can't he?" Ilia sighed, observing the situation at hand.

"Oh, honey if you only knew..."

'It's only Link...' Shad told himself as he drew closer to the table. 'It's only Ashei. You've spoken to each of them at length, why should this evening be any different?'

"What? You mean it was in _there_ all this time?" Ashei had said, through gritted teeth.

From their corner of the room, the two fighters managed to throw off the scrutiny of the customers sitting nearby - lending the opportunity to continue their conversation mid-wrestle.

Link did his best to channel his weight from the floor, determined not to lose this second match. His cerulean eyes were narrowed in focus... throwing cool concentration against Ashei's fiery gaze.

"Oh, so you knew about the mansion?" he grinned at her before angling the warrior's hand that much closer to the table's surface.

"Well, duh. But that's just _embarrassing,_ I could've saved us a lot of trouble... if I'd just walked in there from the start..."

The younger man finished the match with a _thud_ \- though he'd broken into a sweat that streaked once down his forehead.

"Don't tell Shad about this. It would ruin me." Ashei growled at the swordsman from across the table, catching her breath. "Oh. And good match."

"Pray tell, what is it that you don't want me to hear?" the scholar interjected, wearing a smile.

"Hey there! Shad!"

Link beamed up at the older man, pulling up a seat from nearby.

"Not another word, Link..." The warrior warned him. Almost immediately, she seemed to shift back to her surlier personality.

"It's nice to see you both in one piece!"

"Barely." The hero laughed.

"I found myself wondering if you might be back this afternoon. What an uncanny coincidence." The scholar remarked as he joined them, tentatively resting his wine glass upon their table.

"Well, it's been a long journey. Feels good to be back, though. We're finally making some progress." Ashei sighed, throwing a tired smile Shad's way.

"You shall have to tell me all about it!"

"Give a bit, yeah? I think it's time for a refuel, though..."   
  
The warrior rose from her seat and slinked casually over to the bar, leaving behind a rather dangerous looking bottle on the table.

With some relief, Shad took the opportunity to turn his attention towards Link, who seemed to be overflowing with enthusiasm - far more so than when he'd returned from the desert on his previous assignment. The scholar knew he didn't have long but there were questions he'd been dying to ask.

"So, just between you and me, old boy... how did it all go?" he said discreetly, keeping a light tone. "Working with Ashei can be arduous in itself."

"Actually... that part went pretty well." Link relayed, ecstatically.

"Truly?"

Shad hadn't expected this answer to come so easily... and it showed on his face.

"The mission though, that sucked. Everything that _could've_ gone wrong did. And we, uh... both nearly died at one point."

The scholar looked back in disbelief, his indigo eyes now positively wide with horror.

"... You nearly... _died?_ What in Din's name happened out there?!"

Link suppressed a laugh, having lost count of the other times death had nearly struck him down.

"It's a long story, I'll explain later." He said quickly, scanning the bar for the warrior. "But Ashei ended up being there for me when I needed it. There was also... lots of fighting... in the beginning. I think she feels guilty about that too, so she's been really nice to me ever since."

Of all the words Shad could use to describe Ashei, 'nice' was certainly not in the top ten.

"I must say, I'm rather impressed," he admitted, with some awe... and a little more of that unwelcome twinge in his hands. "How ever did you manage to fix a situation like that?"

"Well, there was a cave and-"

Link stopped short, upon seeing the ebony-haired girl turn around at the counter.

"Uh, we spent the night together. It was great! But I'm not allowed to talk about it, or she'll kill me-"

Shad, who had taken a sip of wine at this point, inhaled sharply and began to cough into his hands. The mere thought of either of them _out_ of their armour sent him bright red and the critical components of his brain seemed broken for a moment - trying to counter his physiological responses.

Surely the young swordsman hadn't meant it that way. How could he?

Wasn't the temperature dangerously low? In addition to that, there was simply no way for Shad to believe that his friend would ever allow herself to be _that_ unprofessional in the field. Ashei was a headstrong worker. She was incredibly serious... and _proud._ None of this theory made any sense.

But then again, if nothing had _happened..._ why wouldn't she have wanted Link to say anything?

"That's really good news about your research, Shad!" Link said suddenly as the warrior approached them with a new bottle of spirits - pretending to be talking about something else.

The scholar blocked most of his face with his hands, now suspiciously unresponsive, as Ashei joined them once more.

"What's with you?" She said bluntly.

"... N-Nothing... I... I was just thinking what lovely... _wine this is..."_ Shad trailed off as the colour drained out of his face, turning him paper-white.

"Why don't you tell both of us how it's going? With your book translations?"

Link found himself nudging Shad lightly under the table with his foot.

"Oh... my, books... yes."

The scholar took another - admittedly _heavy_ \- mouthful of wine before he spoke again. If anything could've saved him in this situation, he conceded that it was definitely his research.

Link certainly had some quick wits about him in the face of imminent danger.

"Yes, it's all coming along...! I've certainly made my way through most of _that_ book, now. However... I've found a rather troublesome bit of information regarding the Sky Cannon. Beyond my father's own field notes, this is the first time I've seen it recorded within a text."

"The what?" Ashei enquired.

"Honestly, do you even pay attention when I talk about my research?" Shad sassed her, finding himself more comfortable with the routine at hand.

"I'm not in a position to pass this stuff on if you have some unfortunate accident with your books... if that's what you're expecting."

"No matter. I do rather enjoy talking about it," he sighed.

"Moving on, I've learned of some ancient statues that trace their origins back to the Sky. If they were to remain intact, even now, they could lead me to the fabled Sky Cannon itself. So my plan is to eventually... set forth and seek them out... by _travelling_ on the roads. Perhaps they will imbue some of their knowledge unto me."

Link's face lit up with eagerness at the idea - that eventually - he'd get to continue his journey alongside the elegant scholar. It was certainly going to be interesting showing the well-mannered, albeit _sheltered_ man around in a world he'd only just gotten to see for himself.

"Wow, Shad! That's really gutsy of you!" He encouraged a little too loudly. "Let me know when you're going and I'll come help out."

"Please, don't sound so surprised." Shad laughed.

The warrior smirked at the two from her side of the table, noxious as ever from the spirits in her hand. "It's about time you kicked it out of here, yeah? Spend too long in the city and the next thing you know, you're shanking someone in an alley over the same colour tie."

"Do people really do that out here?" Link questioned, faintly.

"Anyway, I'm really happy for you, Shad. I think you'll enjoy it... doing some hands-on investigating, for a change."

"Oh, certainly. We can't all be as experienced in _that_ area," the scholar shot back at her - with more than a hint of snark over humour.

The swordsman's eyes flickered uncertainly between the two friends, sensing the weird energy. His instincts told him to sink under the table where he might've been safer with Midna.

"Excuse _you!_ What's the deal with that remark?"

"I simply saw the opportunity for one of your usual jokes." The scholar recovered, flawlessly. It seemed to work, as the warrior merely scowled before placing her drink back down on the table.

The young hero sighed visibly with relief... feeling that a bomb had been defused.

"In any case, I am still, incredibly indebted to both of you..." Shad continued. He then ran his fingers nervously through his russet hair, taking in Ashei's subdued reaction with some guilt. "I... apologise if I'm coming across as... frustrated."

"Hey, it's fine." Link smiled, patting him on the arm diplomatically. "You're onto something really important here and we want you to succeed! But maybe it's time for a night off, if all you're doing is... this. I mean, everybody here gets to hang up their sword - but do you ever get to hang up your... quills?"

"I hardly think my study-load counts for strenuous work," he chuckled graciously at the swordsman.

"No. Link's right."

The armoured girl, who had only recently toyed with the idea of throwing down the gauntlet at him, stood up with a new idea. "You spend too much time shut up in there - and you said _yourself_ that you find it easier to think outside. We're gonna drag you out, for your own good."

"... Out?" Shad repeated. Of all the things he'd expected to come out of this evening, hitting the town in a merry band of friends was the last thing on his mind.

"Yes. And if you happen to come up with any ideas on how to tackle the castle while we're out, it'd make our next meeting a little more interesting."

The scholar stopped short, feeling as though the weight of the world had come crashing in through the ceiling.

"The _castle?_ Do you even hear yourself right now?" He'd nearly shouted, drawing stares from Telma and Ilia across the bar. "How on earth are _we_ going to manage _that,_ given the current state of events?"

"It's not as out of reach as you seem to think." Ashei levelled, completely serious. "And if we don't start thinking about it now, we won't be ready for it when the time comes." She'd then proceeded to down the rest of her drink from the bottle, leaving the shaken man to his thoughts.

_The castle..._

Just how long had it been since _anyone_ could casually stroll through the city, unperturbed by the barrier in the sky? It hung in the air like a terrible omen of what was to come.

"Oh, and I'll be leaving town soon with Rusl." Link prompted gently. "So, uh... this might be my last night off in a while. C'mon, we won't be out too long... we'll just go for a lap around the markets."

Shad watched as he caved in immediately under the hero's brilliant gaze, feeling slightly ashamed at himself for his lack of willpower. "... That's more than fine, old boy. Yes. Alright. Let us all go, then."

"Good. I miss our night walks." The warrior cut in. Her eyes flickered with something that might have been sentimental... if not for her flippant tone.

"Who is this _nice_ Ashei and what have you done with the original?" the scholar turned and asked her, mockingly.

"You'll be meeting her in a second if you don't shut up."

"Oh, and let's invite Ilia!" Link suggested. "I'll be right back - Telma will have to say yes."


	14. With Your Bare Hands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link and Ashei conspire to drag Shad and Ilia out of the bar for a night out. 
> 
> But Shad soon finds himself face-to-face with the angry warrior from the north.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: One of these days I will write a concise chapter. Today is not that day. xD;;

**Chapter 14 - With Your Bare Hands**

"I feel really bad about leaving Telma, again!" Ilia had protested. "Can we not stay out too late?"

"Worried she can't handle the night crowd by herself?" Link teased her. "I'll tell her you said that! Then she'll give you a week off."

Ashei regarded the two wryly, enjoying their company for the first time.

"With those innocent faces, all you'd need to do is _ask._ She'd probably help you rob the bank - if it kept you happy."

Wondering how he'd been roped into an excursion on the town, in tow with the charming Ordonians and thoroughly intoxicated warrior, Shad joined the group as they began their lap of the street. He'd brought with him a single notebook, on the off chance he thought of something new during the trip.

The surrounding streets were a hive of activity, with small crowds of people gathered at the various stalls and buildings lining the southern road. Daubs of colour and lights dotted the main thoroughfare, from the bricks and vines on the walls, the flickering of the street torches and the artisanal goods on display.

It was remarkably easy for one to forget about the barrier on the other side of town, which did little to dampen the spirits of the southern suburbs.

Discreetly, the scholar was still making up his mind as to whether he'd indulge the anxiety of dealing with the castle tonight. He then glanced sideways at Ashei, who seemed strangely content, though the scent of booze unfurled in the air around her.

"AHH!" Ilia exclaimed suddenly - snapping Shad's attention back to the street.

She stumbled backwards as a tan-coloured puppy ran in front of her on the path, its tail wiggling happily at the odd group.

_"Ilia -"_

With luck, the uncoordinated scholar was able to catch and steady the younger girl instantly, though he'd dropped his notebook in the process.

The dog barked at the pair in excitement before grabbing the exciting new toy and bolting away into the side street.

"... Oh, no! Shad... I'm so sorry!"

Ilia turned to face him with an apologetic frown, her pale hair mussed up from the fall. She wondered how she could _still_ be so clumsy despite balancing several plates and cups into Telma's kitchen on a daily basis.

But as always, Shad met her gaze with calm concern, his hands gently securing her shoulders.

"It wasn't a very important one." He'd assured her. "Are you alright, my dear?"

"Yes, I'm fine... Ugh, I get really jumpy when I'm tired. But thank you."

The warrior and hero stood behind the two wearing very different expressions.

Link's face had fallen into an uneasy frown - feeling incredibly guilty that he'd fumbled something he should've seen coming.

He questioned whether his reactionary instincts might've been dulled by the city itself. But then, it occurred to him that he might still be able to help the dashing scholar with his own dilemma...

"Just a second, guys - I think I can get it back." He'd grinned, before chasing off after the puppy.

"Oh please, Link, you certainly don't _need_ to...! And he's gone."

In opposition, Ashei who'd now been left alone with the pair, looked terribly annoyed.

Without really knowing why, or doing anything to stop it, she could feel her eyes lock onto Shad's hands... which still happened to be on Ilia's shoulders.

Was it an innocent gesture? ... Or were they closer than she'd initially thought?

And although her vision was slightly glassy from the rush of alcohol and the burning lights, she couldn't help but notice the smoothness of his skin - entirely unmarred by a life of books - against the intricate fabric of Ilia's shirt.

Powerless, she then watched as Shad released her slowly, his face brimming with his fondness for the younger girl.

"She's not made of glass, y'know."

The warrior had tried to sound light-hearted in her tone but she'd failed to do so... terribly. And everyone had noticed.

Shad blinked twice, turning his intelligent gaze up at the tipsy woman, with Ilia following his example.

"If anything here should be made of glass, it would be that ego of yours. Goddesses save _any_ man who should try to catch you from falling." He answered, curtly.

Ashei was acutely aware of the fact she'd been through this all before - and that her temper had ruined more than one evening in recent memory - but the floodgates rumbled with discontent, threatening to destroy everything in their path.

She'd held back earlier in the tavern... but now? It just seemed like Shad was _asking_ for it.

"You think _I've_ got a glass ego?" The warrior bit back at him. Her voice was beginning to bounce off the side of the buildings. "You know how to dish it out at the bar - but out here, you can't even take a single joke!"

"Tsk. Here we go again, causing a scene."

Shad gestured towards her, rolling his eyes.

Truthfully he hadn't wanted Ilia, of all people, to see him behave in such a discourteous manner... but tonight, Ashei was really bringing it out in him. If she wanted an argument; she was going to get one.

"Curious, isn't it, that you should begin to act in such a manner without Link here to keep you down?" He'd continued in a cavalier tone.

"And what the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?!"

"... Perhaps you could enlighten me as to what you think it does."

"Oh, that's it, Shad. You're _done."_ The warrior snarled in response, feeling a nerve touched upon. "If you wanted a scene, I'll _give_ one to you now-"

"You can stop me if I'm wrong, but I think you're both the type to want to catch others, instead. That's why you started working for the Resistance!"

In an unprecedented change of events, Ashei put her feud with the scholar on hold as she looked directly towards Ilia. She stalled... looking slightly embarrassed under the smaller girl's inquisitive gaze. Was this for real?

How could somebody so gentle have disarmed her so easily?

In the most frustrating manner, it reminded her of Link...

"And that's what makes you so unique! You're passionate about protecting others." The barmaid continued. "You and Shad are pretty similar, after all."

"... _What...?"_

The warrior and the scholar looked to each other, momentarily confounded.

Ashei had wanted to laugh at Ilia's boldness but the timing was off - and she was still _mad_ at Shad for being too clingy for his own good.

She'd then searched the scholar's face, connecting with the nervous flicker of indigo behind his glasses and soft eyelids. He seemed exhausted, and perhaps weighed down by nights of unrest... not that this had any impact on how handsome he really was, behind that barbed tongue.

'... Oh, for f... Are you _kidding_ me?!'

Almost immediately, Ashei turned away in an effort to obscure her reaction. She glared down at the pavement as the anger washed away, drowning in a new feeling that was so _foreign_ and awkward, it made her all the more dizzy.

'Not this again... We've been _through_ this - No...'

Was it the alcohol? It had to be - there was _no other_ explanation for those stupid thoughts resurfacing, especially at a time like this.

"... Well...! Never in all my years have I seen that one deactivated so quickly." Shad recovered breathlessly, raising his eyebrows at Ilia. "You certainly know how to kill others with kindness."

The young barmaid winked back at him, mimicking Telma in a way that was eerily similar to Link's impression of the proprietress.

"I learn from the best."

"Hey."

Suddenly, Link reappeared beside the scholar, smiling casually as he held out the notebook from before.

To the rest of the group, the blonde swordsman was a welcome sight... especially after the _unpleasantness_ that had erupted in his absence.

"Oh, my! You didn't!" Shad gushed. Admittedly, he'd also been feeling the after-effects of his wine and failed to reign in his excitement as a result. He tucked the book under his arm and enclosed his hands around the swordsman's rough leather gloves, beaming at him in thanks.

"Link, you are a paragon."

The younger man found the gesture unexpected, but he squeezed his hand back gently, welcoming the attention.

"Um, sorry about the teeth-marks. He just wanted someone to play with him."

"You always were better with animals..." Ilia admitted reluctantly.

It was then that the swordsman noticed Ashei turning away from the others with her arms folded. She happened to be staring at the ground, as though it were a cliff she was considering jumping from.

"... Hey, Ashei? Is everything good?"

For a moment he'd gotten no reaction - which he’d known to be a very _bad_ thing where she was concerned - until she looked up at him with a faint smile.

Though it had taken some time to get used to their new friendship, the warrior regarded his presence with an honest warmth... welcoming the reprieve from Shad.

"I was just thinking, there's a new armour shop around here that I wanna check out. Sounds interesting, yeah?" She responded.

"And maybe I can finally get this fixed."

Ashei then held up the pieces of her right-hand gauntlet, which still clung to her arm, but would've offered very little in the way of protection after the snow wraiths.

"Sure! I think I'll have a look with you," the hero said. "Not that I really... need new equipment."

Link had secretly wondered whether the armour given to him by the light spirits offered anything else in the way of protection, or if it had been sheer stupid luck and learning on-the-go that had kept him alive.

However, part of him was happy to leave it as a mystery, for fear of that luck running _out._

"If we are headed in this direction, then I might stop by the book store before it closes." Shad added, interrupting the swordsman's morbid train of thought. "There might also be something in there of interest to you."

Ilia laughed at him softly, appreciating the gesture. She brushed lightly against his arm as they set off, continuing their lap down the busy street.

"You've already got so much to choose from! But I'll let you surprise me, if you like."

Ashei bit down on her lip as she drifted behind them - with Link following leisurely at her side. She'd then looked down to see him offer his own arm in support, having nearly walked into it as she glared at the back of Shad's head.

"I'm not _that_ far gone." She said defensively.

"... I could hear you shouting from a mile away." He'd smiled at her, maintaining a non-judgemental tone.

"And you're not afraid of losing that arm?"

"Haha! I think you're forgetting who won our last match."

With a sigh, she hesitantly entwined her own arm within Link's, figuring that it couldn't have been much stranger than using him as a pillow.

* * *

Before long, Shad and Ilia had disappeared into the book store, which was situated in one of the city's older buildings along the main concourse. Glowing torchlights adorned the main entrance, next to a generously sized window-front - through which one could glimpse the various shelves on display.

The swordsman and the warrior were seated along the guttering of the building from across the street, creating a moment of stillness in the disarray of the crowds. The occasional pedestrian would turn their head towards the striking younger man and his green outfit, before glancing at the armoured girl at his side.

Though Link didn't seem bothered by the attention, Ashei found herself questioning whether this were a common occurrence for someone like him.

Of course, it was entirely possible that others might've also written the hero off as harmless - as _she_ had mistakenly done - if his face were anything to go by.

"You know, there was something I was meaning to ask you..." Link finally said to her, looking up at the warrior from the streets.

"Hmm?"

"It's about when we were out there, back in the snow... I..."

He paused for a moment before he smiled, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"I thought you were awesome - at fighting, I mean. How'd you learn to do that? Holding everything off with just a sword?"

"Oh, that."

Ashei smirked back at him, still riding the waves of inebriation from the bar. No matter the context - fighting technique was a subject she could really get behind, and she'd had few to share it with apart from Rusl.

"My father taught me that too, he's a retired knight. Most of it's in the footwork. You've gotta avoid the hits as much as possible and turn them into glancing blows. You won't stay alive long if you're getting hit with full force."

She'd demonstrated the principle with her hands as she spoke, watching the azure of Link's eyes flicker with each movement. Despite his laid-back nature, he was forever focused on a practical level.

"Can you teach me?" He'd asked, meeting her reserved expression with enthusiasm.

Unable to help herself, she laughed.

"I-I mean, only if you'd want to..." He clarified. "If it isn't some secret family technique - I'd understand if it was..."

"Oh look, I don't have any problems from that perspective, yeah?" She assured humorously, shaking her head.

"But... given the time we have now, and the fact that you've been fighting a different way all along... I think it'd only mess up your current technique on the battlefield."

Ashei then gestured toward the heavy-weighted Hylian shield strapped to his back. It was of handsome make - coloured primarily with royal blue and adorned with a red crest and yellow Triforce, which were characteristic of the town's craftsmen.

"If something works for you, you should stick with it." She said, bumping him lightly on the arm.

"Ah, you're right." He chuckled, nervously. "I shouldn't be switching it up at the moment. And I have another teacher who'd cut off my legs, if I did."

"It would've been better if you'd come to me early-on... but I'd happy to show you later, once you get your own skills down. If we're both still lucky enough to be here."

Link looked up excitedly in response, feeling some new motivation to practice.

"Yeah! I'll challenge for you it, then!"

"That being said, your footwork could use some polish now." The warrior offered, regarding him with some faux-seriousness. "And I'd _know_ from all those cuts and bruises." Her steel fingers jabbed straight into his ribs, causing him to shout suddenly. She'd then laughed at his expense, drunkenly aware of how girly it had sounded.

"But Ashei... that wolf got me all the way _up here..."_ The swordsman grinned back at her, grabbing his shoulder in jest.

He omitted the part where he'd gained several new ice-burns on his legs from the Freezards that had taken over the mansion. Those ones were definitely going to leave a nasty mark.

"Oh, you smug bastard. I'm never helping you again."

She'd gone to jab Link in the ribs again but missed, ignoring the people on the street who stared with disapproval as they walked around the boisterous pair.

"Let's try your fancy technique now, then! If you're the expert..." Link dared, jumping to his feet.

The warrior smiled back at him dangerously - quietly confident despite the fact that everything in the background was mostly a blur.

"Alright, kid. First lesson - don't trip over..."

From beyond the window, Shad had stopped from around the corner of one of the bookshelves - allowing most of it to conceal him from the street. Nervously, he fidgeted with the book in his grasp, running his fingers along the spine as he watched Link and Ashei beginning to pace around each other without their weapons drawn.

It looked like a strange dance, until they began to strike with their feet, dodging in opposition.

The interior of the shop itself was much warmer than the pavement outside, or so the scholar reasoned when he exhaled deeply - feeling flushed from the excitement.

"Shad...?"

Ilia crept up silently behind him, having observed this behaviour earlier at the bar. It seemed that he hadn't heard her... not that she'd done much to alert him to her presence.

"Shad." She prompted again, firmly.

"Oh, Ilia...! You caught me..."

"If you stared at them any harder, you might as well be a puppy looking for adoption." The barmaid reprimanded, folding her arms with a smile.

"It is... petty of me, isn't it." Shad sighed, turning to face her with a look of amusement.

"Is this about your fight with Ashei? And her - _maybe_ \- being a little different with Link around?"

"Perhaps." He admitted, embarrassed.

"It's not... that I mind their friendship or the... antics. It would be a crime if they were not to get along as they are. But it just took... _me_ such a long time to get to where I am now, with others."

Silhouetted against the window, he seemed more withdrawn and vulnerable than ever before.

"Do you know, Ilia... before I became a regular at Telma's Bar, I never really had many 'friends,' as such? I always told myself to concentrate on my studies, with the mind that everything else would fall into place."

Ilia blinked slowly, sensing that this was a new side of the scholar that she hadn't experienced first-hand. Of course, she'd noticed that Telma was adamant about keeping the young man's confidence in check... but him _allowing_ her to see it lowered was, quietly, jolting.

He swallowed quietly before continuing, holding all of her attention.

"Of course, once my father passed and I moved into my own house, I was faced with the reality of... how incredibly lonely my life was. For a time after that, my only companion was a stray cat." He laughed.

"There are so many people in the city. I would've thought you could never be lonely here." Ilia said, curiously. "But I think I understand what you mean. You weren't connected to anyone?"

The pair began to step away from the shop-front, shuffling in single-file along a narrow walkway between the shelves.

"Not particularly." Shad continued in a wry tone. "Again, this was my own doing... but when the Resistance formed, I felt like I could belong _somewhere_ for the first time."

The younger girl stopped to grab the scholar by the wrist. He'd frozen in his tracks at the gesture, feeling the pull of her vivid eyes on his shoulder.

"And you always will!" Ilia argued. "Every one of us admires you for your work, Shad. And as a person - you're so brave and selfless. You were the best thing to come out of... that whole... _whatever_ happened. I can't imagine what it would be like if we'd never met."

"Ilia...!"

"Why don't you believe any of us when we tell you how important you are?"

Shad turned to face her anxiously, struck speechless for a moment. "... I just find myself questioning if whether... outside of this crisis, and our organisation..."   
  
He paused - putting a hand to his face in frustration.

"I don't believe I have much at _all_ in common with the others. And if this ordeal were to end, then I wonder... if I might be forgotten, and doomed to return to my old life. The one I hated."

As forcefully as she could muster, the spritely young woman pulled him into a hug - nearly knocking his round glasses off. She squeezed tightly around his ribcage, wanting to crush the darker fragments of his emotions into dust.

Given the tightness of the room, the two had also nearly crashed into the side of one of the bookshelves, prompting the shopkeeper sitting at the counter to roll his eyes. For the veteran retail attendant, the amount of couples who regularly came into this establishment to be 'affectionate' was nothing short of nauseating.

When Ilia finally released him, Shad knew that some part of him had been switched back 'on' - feeling brighter than he'd been able to recall all evening.

"Th-Thank you..." he'd muttered, awkwardly.

"Don't thank me, silly...!"

The barmaid regarded him with a stern gaze, which eventually fell away as she spoke.

"It might take time to adjust but you'll always have friends! You'll always have me. I'll write and visit you whenever I can... once this is all _over_ and it's... time for me to go home."

The words had struck the scholar like lightning, sending him cold all at once.

Though he'd suspected as much throughout the duration of her stay - the fact remained that Ilia _wasn't_ going to be here forever.

She had her own life to return to, and her own obligations to her town and family. If anything, sending the shaken girl who'd wandered into Telma's all those months ago back to the place where she belonged - _should_ \- have been the defining moment of her rehabilitation.

But selfishly; Shad hadn't wanted to let her go.

The thought alone rendered him nauseous.

"Link seems to like traveling all over the place. He'll probably be in town all the time." Ilia continued, maintaining her positive tone. "And Ashei's been here a while, hasn't she? ... Especially for someone who hates crowds."

The scholar sighed heavily as they meandered towards the counter, taking one final glance over the books on display.

"I imagine that Link must feel at home anywhere that he goes..." He smiled, wondering how the radiant swordsman must be faring outside.

"I don't think that's _completely_ true, but he is good with people. He has a natural ability, especially around kids and animals."

The store attendant appeared to be scowling, wishing that this latest dramatic couple would hurry up and leave.

"As for Ashei, she takes some time to warm up to others and she has a _temper..._ but behind that, she is a very intelligent woman who is known to be generous, on occasion."

"I still wear her pajamas." Ilia giggled, lightly.

"But perhaps she is too proficient to be bothered with other people... especially those who are not exactly... as _strong."_

Saying it out loud felt ridiculous, of course; but the scholar quietly panicked at the depth of this insecurity. To him, it seemed that anybody who wasn't as athletic as the warrior was instantly branded an 'idiot.'

"Don't be dense, Shad. Haven't you ever noticed how much she cares about your work?"

He blinked slowly and gripped to the notebook at his side.

"My work..."

And then, something subtle caught his attention.

Near the counter - where the now _profoundly_ annoyed attendant was seated - sat a small section of books based on architecture. Shad's eyes widened immediately upon their detection.

"THE CASTLE!" He'd shouted, causing the others in the room to jump.

"There are resources on the layout of the _castle..._ and there's more, in the state library...! Ilia, you are brilliant... truly brilliant!"

"I didn't... do anything...!" She'd protested, fearing the maniacal look upon his face.

* * *

Now that they were on talking terms again, Ashei looked quietly pleased with Shad about wanting to locate the castle's blueprints. Somehow, they'd drifted together as the group continued their stretch of the main street... and it seemed like _most_ of the alcohol-fuelled anger from before had waned. However, it was clear that the awkwardness of their earlier fight hadn't quite disappeared, with neither of the offending parties being able to hold the other's eye contact for more than a second.

The Ordonians had been content to give them some space for the time being.

"There it is. Are you coming in, or what?" The warrior eventually prompted, drawing Link's attention to the armoury.

He glanced over the rustic exterior of the shop, which happened to be another older building, beset by street vendors for antiques and other ornate pieces of metalware. "It looks... pricey." He frowned, thinking back to the start-up shop run by Malo back in Kakariko Village.

"Well, these ones won't kick you out for wearing those boots." She said, bluntly. "And I'm not skimping out after what happened to my arm."

Shad suddenly turned his head towards Ashei, his curiosity piqued.

"... Your arm?"

He'd seen the compression bandages wrapped all the way up her arm in the bar, though he hadn't thought to ask for details.

The warrior glared back at him at first, before reigning in her expression with some effort. Fighting with the scholar was definitely becoming tiresome.

"Oh, right. I didn't tell you."

She pulled off the gauntlet to reveal the extent of her injuries from the mountain, wearied by having done so repeatedly since coming to town.

It certainly made sense to her why Link kept the condition of his body as low-key as possible.

"Dear Goddesses!" Shad gasped, theatrically.

"Don't make a big deal out of it."

"... I... I am terribly sorry, Ashei. That looks awful."

Rolling her eyes, the raven-haired girl then turned to enter the shop with the young hero following suit, leaving Shad and Ilia to wait on the street. They'd settled to move toward a street corner nearby, watching the ebbing crowd.

"It's been a heavy sort of day, hasn't it?" Ilia asked him, throwing a cryptic smile his way.

"Indeed it has. To be quite honest, I don't believe that coming out here has done _anything_ for my stress." He exhaled.

"... Maybe we shouldn't leave it that way, then. There's still time to fix things."

Unsure of what that could possibly entail, Shad waited the rest of their excursion out patiently, enjoying the relative calm of the streets at Ilia's side.

 _'Time...'_ he'd thought, with a sad smile.

_'I wonder, how much time do we have left... together?'_

After some time had passed, Link and Ashei returned from the shop, with the latter missing the trademark pieces of armour that always covered her forearms. In their absence, her hands clung to her elbows. She'd _hated_ how exposed it felt... like being outdoors in one's smallclothes.

Shad studied her reaction quietly, finding himself inadvertently drawn to her wrists. They seemed dainty and ill fitting for one so formidable.

"Sorry for the wait." The warrior growled, holding the most awkward posture anyone could remember seeing from her. "They'll be ready in a day."

"Did you get anything?" Ilia had asked Link, poking his arm gently.

"Oh - no, I'm good for now... I'd just never seen a full armoury before!" The swordsman said, nervously.

"We definitely don't have anything like that at home. Think you'll go back in there later?"

Link cringed a little at the thought - fearing a verbal lashing from Midna the next time he was alone. "Uh... actually the guy there seemed... a little _too_ interested in my set-up... after I demonstrated how hard it was to set my tunic on fire."

"That is the _last_ time I take you anywhere." Ashei warned him, dryly.

Stifling a laugh, the two younger friends lead the group as they faced back towards the bar.

In a simple gesture that seemed to unfold, without fear or hesitation, Link and Ilia gently held hands as they walked along the pavement. They seemed oblivious to the street around them, turning heads as they passed.   
  
The auburn-haired scholar had done his best not to glance for too long, however curious, but he'd been caught by the swordsman who sent his nerves shooting into overdrive once again.

"Hey..." Link smiled at him, over his shoulder.

"P-Pardon, my rudeness, old boy."

His blue eyes brimmed with enthusiasm before he spoke again.

"... You should walk with us, Shad."

"Walk with...? Oh, no, _please..."_ He protested, weakly. "We would take up far too much space on the pathway and-"

But before the scholar could recoil, the hero reached behind and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him forward to walk alongside the pair. Shad wore a bewildered expression, wanting to hide their grandiose display from the public eye.

Ilia couldn't hide her amusement at the look on his face.

"Ashei, you should join us." Link called out to her over his shoulder.

However, his request was met promptly with an undignified snort, followed by laughter.

"I'll pass, thanks."

The warrior could feel herself bouncing back from the spirits but she remained content to follow behind the strange trio, shaking her head at Link's shamelessness.

It was becoming difficult to figure out exactly _what_ the younger man's deal was, though none of his actions seemed to convey a sense of possession over anyone. He was protective when others were in danger - of course - but with his weapons sheathed, he seemed content to simply... enjoy the company of others.

On their way down the street, the group passed an enormous flower stall, which sat on the corner opposite to the turn for the bar. Though the workers seemed to be packing up, many of the displays were still out for customers including rows of pink carnations, red poppies and white roses, catching Ilia's gaze as they passed.

She'd made a mental note to come back here, later.

"I'm so thankful we could spend a night like this together." Shad admitted, as they neared the quadrangle outside Telma's Bar.

"It does feel a bit wrong... with the castle the way it is..." Link said rather guiltily. He could feel the ghost of something awful nipping at the edges of his mind... but the accompanying look on his face disappeared as quickly as it had surfaced.

"Anyway, it was nice again... getting to take my mind off things. I'll be leaving with Rusl soon."

"Really hope that _this_ one goes better for you, yeah?"

"If it does, you should put it into a book." Ilia smiled. She then peered in through the windows of the bar; craning her neck to get a look at how busy it might've gotten in her absence.

"Hey, I'd better hurry up and get in there so I can earn my keep! I'll see you all soon."

The swordsman then froze, suddenly hit by his own realisation.

"... And I've still gotta put my bed together on Rusl's floor! Agh. Have a good night, guys."

Ilia and Link ran on ahead, opening the front door to the orange gleam of the tavern's lights and the commotion of its patrons.

Shad went to follow them under the awning of the doorway before an unfamiliar hand grabbed onto his coat, stopping him in his tracks. The scholar paused and turned around with a look of pure apprehension.

"What the hell's up with you tonight, Shad?" Ashei asked him, darkly. "You've been acting passive-aggressive the entire time I've been _back."_

He should've known that he couldn't have said what he did without repercussions - especially where Ashei was concerned - though, part of him had been holding out for some memory-erasing hangover to wipe the slate clean.

He then considered whether running away would actually be worth a shot... not that he'd had much practice at that sort of thing. Despite the fact that they both exuded the smell of alcohol, the scholar was certain that he'd be caught and strung up on the nearest torch-holder before he could even leave the neighbourhood.

"Do you have any idea what it's like having to deal with this after everything that's happened? We're _supposed_ to be friends." She'd continued, now glaring daggers at him for his lack of timely response.

Shad looked directly into her eyes, mindful of their close proximity for the first time that night... and he was beginning to feel shamed by the lack of sincerity that he'd shown her. "Ashei, I... do think of you as a friend, of course." He clarified.

"Well, we soon _won't_ be if you keep that up! So what's your problem with me, then? ... Spit it out."

"I'm afraid, it is... rather stupid."

He knew that honesty was the best policy; until it came to placing one's self-esteem in the hands of another, more practiced at killing.

"Really?" She sniffed, loudly. "I'd never have figured that out."

Accepting that there would never be a better time for this exchange, Shad sighed, beginning to brace himself for the consequences. "Tonight, I found myself questioning if... if we could ever be friends outside of the Resistance." He began, hesitantly. "I mean - if we didn't work together... I wonder, would you still think of me as such?"

_"What?!"_

The warrior frowned. She searched his face critically, like she hadn't been sure of how to take his words. "Are you serious?"

"Perhaps you misunderstand..." Shad said, clearing his throat nervously.

"I-I just never thought... you'd have much time for _this_ sort of thing - beyond the necessary pleasantries. You always seemed too... independent to be bothered with others. I was certainly surprised when you and Link hit it off, as it were, and then you both wanted to take me out."

The scholar paced absently near the wall, tangling his fingers in the hair above his forehead.

Of course, he'd omitted the part where he wasn't entirely sure of _what_ he was jealous of, but it stood to reason that the thought of being forgotten by either of them flooded him with anxiety.

"So, what then? Are you saying I can't have friends cause I'm too self-reliant?" Ashei scowled at him, folding her arms. "And why does _this_ give you a free pass to be a prick to me all night? This doesn't exactly make me wanna stay around, y'know."

"Ah... my words were clumsily chosen." He flinched.

"Do you wanna know what's actually stupid, Shad? Having to reinstate our friendship _all_ of the damn time."

Immediately, Shad put all of his thoughts on hold, detecting something new and a little frightening in the tone of her voice.

Had he... actually wounded her with their latest argument?

After everything that they'd fought about - whether it had happened first thing in the morning, at the Resistance meeting table, or when Ilia arrived on their doorstep with amnesia - was this finally the one where they'd gone _too far?_ But before he could get a decent look at her face, the warrior turned away, facing the ground sharply.

"It really does seem like... we are predisposed to fighting one another." He admitted heavily. "And in _comparison,_ well, you and Link seem to have the world in common. I suppose it made me... insecure about where I stand."

The warrior sighed, tilting her head up to face him - bitterly. She could see her own reflection in his glasses, pale-faced in the light of the torches, cut sharply against the shroud of her black fringe.

"Then, let me make this easy for you..." She growled, getting right in his face. "If I didn't care about you, then we wouldn't be talking. At all. I know I can be an idiot... but whenever I am, you always hold me accountable. _I like_ that about you."

Shad felt his heart skip a beat at the forthrightness of her words, however harsh they'd actually sounded.

"And despite what you might think - I don't have any problems _with Ilia."_ She continued; feeling terribly self-conscious for bringing it up.

"What really sucks is that you don't believe in our friendship. You act like we're just two people working together. I don't have to meddle with your research, either... but I do it because I want to see you recognised for all that effort... it's _bullshit_ that you're doing so much alone."

Thinking back to his earlier conversation in the bookshop, the scholar felt something obvious click into place.

His inner-saboteur sat comfortably in the back of his mind, presiding over the tatters of his self-esteem. And by allowing it to carry on, unchecked, he'd nearly caused unmitigated damage to his closest connections.

Could he have imagined carrying on in this war _without_ the support of his most steadfast ally?

Even their earliest arguments had spurned him onward, in some strange manner. He'd felt motivated to do better; to prove the world wrong. Looking back on it, their conflict was sometimes even a source of enjoyment... however unlikely it seemed.

"... If anybody should be the idiot tonight Ashei, it would be me." Shad conceded. "This is my insecurity, not yours. But you're the one I took it out on."

Ashei had stepped away from him pointedly, gauging his reaction with careful consideration. She gritted her teeth, half wanting it to be over but also holding out for the rest of his words - however vulnerable they made her.

"In any case, I apologise for my comments before. They were very much out of line. I would also... understand, if you should think less of me for them. You are free to do as you wish, of course."

"Do as I wish? ... Like we're having a party and we're not all in the middle of some screwed up conflict?"

The steely girl came in close again - this time, _frighteningly_ so - with the scholar finding himself backed against the brick wall, pinned down by a single hand on his chest.

It was miraculous nobody had opened the door in a while, being that it might've seemed like a shake down... or something _else._

"I'd put my life on the line for you! You do realise that, right?!" Ashei chastised, narrowing the heavy lashes that sat on her eyelids with disdain.

She stood inches away from his face, giving him nowhere for his eyes to escape. In their futile search for neutrality they'd locked onto her lips, which were curled in disgust, though they were every bit as small and delicate as her wrists.

"I-I... I believe you!"

It then occurred to him that this was the first time he'd really _felt_ her hand on him, without the cold weight of her gauntlets shielding the warmth from her body.

"And there you go! I said it _with words_ cause nothing else I do seems to get through to you!" She continued, furiously.

"Are you happy now?! _Is this what you wanted?"_

"A-Ah..."

Shad felt utterly betrayed by his body as his heart began to race, hammering quickly under his friend's fingertips. The violets in his eyes shrank around his pupils - which were now wide with horror - as he failed to maintain his composure.

Though she'd held him in place lightly, it was her glare that rendered him paralysed.

"Ashei?" he struggled, his reddening face shot with nerves.

"Hmm?"

"I can't... move."

For a split second, the warrior regarded him cynically - as though he'd been joking around with his choice of words. But then, she'd looked at the wall behind him... and sensed his pulse rushing against her hand, wondering how she could have _missed_ something so prominent.

She stepped back immediately... mortified, at her own rashness.

Shad saw, in her own wild gaze, a flicker of fear, which flashed as subtly as the flecks of sienna in her seas of black.

"... Sorry. I..."

Ashei bit down on her lip again, feeling as though she'd plunged right into the lake of ice back at Snowpeak Mountain. This had felt _so_ different to all of the times she'd punched him for his snippy comments.

"Damnit, I didn't mean to... I-I don't know why... _Fuck._ Sorry."

"It's... alright."

Shad took a deep breath as they turned away from each other, slowly repairing the walls to their personal space.

"... Perhaps we've had too much to drink." He'd offered politely after a brief silence, hoping it would be enough to smooth things over.

She hesitated for a moment, hating herself for being so brainless, before she'd met his eyes once more; forcing a smile. In the face of ruin, it was crucial for one to stay strong.

"Perhaps not."

"Oh?"

"C'mon, I'll buy us a round when we get inside. I don't wanna remember a thing." The warrior said flippantly, before she turned and disappeared through the door.

Feeling as though he'd just faced down death itself, Shad breathed heavily with relief.

Never before had he recalled feeling more eager to throw away his sobriety.


	15. Eye of the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ilia's past memories threaten her relationship with Shad.
> 
> Link returns from his latest assignment seeking help with the Dominion Rod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Plot-heavy chapter, dipping into some angst here! :p Also have a head-canon that time in the outside world doesn't actually pass when you're in the Temple of Time, so Link will be back faster than ever.

**Chapter 15 - Eye of the Storm**

Tucked into the shoulder of a plateau, which overlooked the rest of Hyrule, were the ruins of an ancient theatre. Though it were easy to miss, they were hidden somewhere in the southern expanse of the Lanayru Province, dwarfed by the spires of the castle itself. It was here that Shad returned armed with new information he'd decoded from the Royal archives.

Some months had passed since he'd even ventured beyond the gates... so much so, that the scholar had almost forgotten the raw beauty of the natural world.

In comparison to his familiar study and the cobblestoned streets of the town, everything out here seemed so _bright_ and intricate... from the countless blades of grass and mosses that flourished between the ancient bricks, to the faded beauty of the mountains and rivers which melted into the horizon.

"Wow, it's even more impressive than I would've thought!"

Seated atop of the seated columns of stone were Ilia, who'd volunteered to accompany Shad on her day off. As exotic as the city and its elaborate designs were, she had found herself missing the greenery and uninhibited skies of the world beyond.

She also hadn't been able to resist the urge to kick her shoes off at the earliest opportunity - much to the scholar's astonishment.

Shad chuckled lightly at the younger girl's comments, looking up at her from the base of the ruin.

"There's certainly no obligation for you to find this riveting. In an hour or so, I imagine that this place might bore you silly."

"Listen to you! Is that a joke about my attention span?" She'd joked at him before sprawling backwards to face the sky, her short hair knitting itself into the grasses. "I'll be fine here, Shad. I _miss_ being outdoors."

Ilia then inhaled deeply, enjoying the fresh scents of the earth and the wildflowers, which grew sporadically throughout the field.

"... I suppose you must." Shad agreed, before he turned his attention back to the perplexing owl statue before him.

By all accounts - this monument fit the description of the 'guardian' statues referenced within the text. But the strangest part was that this wasn't the scholar's first time in this particular location. He'd visited these ruins on numerous occasions, often to watch the sun set over the rest of Hyrule.

Something about them had always captured his interest... they seemed equal parts strange and beautiful.

"You must tell me your secrets..." Shad frowned, addressing the stony carved face of the owl. Around anybody else this might have seemed like odd behaviour - but he'd grown so comfortable with Ilia around that not even dancing in front of the statue would have shaken him.

"Let me know if you need help with anything." She'd called out to him from above. "I'm not a very strong person but I'm sure I could lift you for a few seconds, if you wanted to try climbing it...?"

"With my track record, I am just as likely to fall and break a leg." He laughed.

"At least you'll be on stage?"

"Oh, Ilia...! How did I ever survive this tedious occupation without you?"

After hours of sketching, prodding and investigating around the ruin, the skies darkened with the purple and orange of twilight - and the scholar knew that it was time to be going home, if one were to avoid the horrors of the night.

He'd joined with Ilia once more before they took to the road and walked at a leisurely pace towards the city. It was still too early for one to see its torches glimmering in the distance, although the setting sun glanced off the windows of the tallest buildings.

"It's too bad you couldn't find what you were looking for..." Ilia frowned, carrying some of the scholar's materials against her chest as she walked.

"How rude that it didn't respond to a _thing_ that I did!" Shad sighed, scrunching his face up with disappointment. "Which is incredibly odd because there _was_ some way to activate them... they supposedly carry an old magic from the Sky, entrusted to us from the beings above."

"Maybe this one's broken?" The barmaid wondered aloud. Seeing Shad this frazzled had certainly been an experience in itself.

"At least there are others out there for you to find. I hope they're more helpful."

"I've uh... already received some correspondence on the matter." The scholar continued, though his tone hadn't budged.

"I believe you have already met Renado from Kakariko Village. Telma put me into contact with him - albeit, reluctantly - and it just so happens that he has knowledge of an ancient labyrinth beneath the town. Apparently it houses a variety of ruins, which fit the description I mentioned."

"Oh! You'll be going to Kakariko, then?! That's so exciting!"

"Indeed..." Shad muttered. "Though I am uncertain of how productive this trip will be, if today is anything to go by. Goddesses Ilia, I'm closer than ever before."

_'If only I were the so-called Messenger to the Heavens...'_

"At least there will be hot springs for you to visit! And there are Gorons from the mountain... And all the kids from my village will be there. You'll even be able to tell them how much better I'm doing."

The scholar smiled a little, taking in Ilia's incurable love of the world around her. She was indeed a living testament to the better parts of the human spirit, especially in these dark times.

"Well, for you, I shall try to look forward to the occasion."

* * *

In the emerald groves of the Faron woods, Link and Rusl had stopped alongside a ravine, which seemed almost out of place amongst the thick trees and gloomy swamplands in the background. Even from the nearest settlement in Ordon Village, this particular place received very little in the way of contact with humans.

"It feels like only yesterday that we were here, patrolling beyond the gates." The older man reminisced, looking back to his student with pride.

"Yeah... Damn, Rusl. It's been such a long time."

Link leaned against the roots of an ancient tree, that was much larger than most of the buildings in Hyrule Castle Town.

"I don't need to tell you how much you've changed." Rusl smiled. "In fact, I dare say that you'd put me out of work if we were to return home now!"

"Compete with you? And have my string of good luck run out? Haha, no thanks!"

Welcoming the relative moment of peace they'd found at the overpass, the hero took the opportunity to drink some water from his supplies - and to soak up the final rays of the sun peeking out from the trees.

"... Link, what do you plan to do with yourself once this is all over?"

The question had interrupted his brief moment of spaciousness, dragging him back into the present.

"Surely you've thought about it."

"I..."

In truth, he really _hadn't._

And Link struggled to hide the discomfort on his face from his mentor.

Everything that he'd managed to achieve so far had been done under the sobering realisation that there _really might not_ be any coming back.

There'd been little hope of surviving some of the hero's more outrageous feats; like throwing the Bulblin King off the Eldin Bridge, exterminating Morpheel in the crushing depths of the lake and duelling the hulking mass that was Dangoro over a sea of lava. At this point, he'd come to believe that it was the Triforce on his hand keeping him alive.

"This may be presumptuous of me but something tells me that you've outgrown our town." Rusl prompted him in a thoughtful voice.

Link laughed nervously at him in response, grabbing the back of his neck.

"And that's perfectly fine, especially for someone of your age and ability. You did get a _later_ start than I would've liked... but the world will be waiting for you, once this is all over."

_'The world... that I've been fighting for?'_

The young swordsman found himself struggling to picture what it might've been like out here, or beyond, without all of the monsters or interference from the Twilight Realm.

"I, uh... I'm... not ungrateful for the opportunities that you've given me, or for having a place to call home. I'll always belong in Ordon Village. But seeing Hyrule has been... I don't have any words." He trailed off, listlessly looking out again toward the trees.

"I think... I love this. Doing all of this, everyday."

"... Oh, the Mayor would be _furious_ with me if he knew that I was encouraging you to keep adventuring." Rusl smirked, knowingly.

"Which brings me to my second point... Bo's very anxious for Ilia to return. The only reason he hasn't come to town to check on her himself is because I've been keeping him in the loop with everything - and he still has the rest of the town to run."

"Ah, yeah... I definitely should've... updated him as soon as I found her safe." Link admitted while averting his gaze.

After losing her mother, Ilia had undeniably become her father's world. She happened to be the only family that he had left... which, in part, had probably led to Link being taken in as unabashedly as he was. Some combination of Rusl's mentoring and sharing a roof with Ilia's family had made him into the independent person he was, today.

"It is no trouble. Remember, you're not the only adult here." The older man assured him, gently.

"In any case... she will be taken care of. So there's no need for you to keep on worrying. I'd encourage you to think some more about what kind of future might be waiting for you at the end. Or, you never know, you might just decide to pack it in and start a family."

The young swordsman whipped his attention forward once again - turning bright red as Rusl laughed at him.

"Uhh...! W-Well, I... ahaha, _um..."_

Link coughed lightly, pretending to choke on the water from his canteen.

"... Kids? ... Goddesses Rusl, I haven't even kissed anybody - apart from that time when me and Ilia were like ten..."

"Ahaha! Oh, no. I'd forgotten all about that."

"I didn't." The younger man flinched. "How could I? I got into serious trouble for that one... we couldn't hang out for a while... and then we both had _the talk."_

"Well, there's no hurry on that front. Trust me."

Rusl cast a reserved smile and then looked to the forest floor, conducting the following train of thought with some hesitation.

"Although, if your future were to hold such a thing, my advice would be... to find someone suited to your life. It's very hard on Uli for me to be gone so often, and for so long. I wouldn't wish it on anyone."

The experienced man had certainly noticed his student's compatibility with a certain hardy warrior, though as much as he would've approved of the idea, he knew better than to encourage such things with words. Besides, encouragement from elders was the death knell of any romance involving young people.

"You'll have to forgive me if I'm being presumptuous, once again." He'd then confessed, amusedly. "There is still a war for us to get through."

"I'll... try to keep all that stuff in mind. If it ever happens." Link smiled, a little morosely. "Thanks, Rusl."

* * *

As evening fell over the city, the flawless skies that had graced Shad during his excursion were soon blanketed with heavy clouds, threatening the area with a torrential downpour. It had been some time since such weather had taken hold, with the water-rich Lanayru Province in the grip of a _particularly_ dry spring.

In the newly illuminated study, Ilia joined the now very frustrated scholar - who happened to be digging around on the bottom shelf of a dusty bookcase.

"Is everything... alright down there?" She'd asked, placing his field notes carefully onto a nearby table.

"Oh - certainly! Sorry for my untimeliness, Ilia... I... really wanted to thank you for your company today."

He paused, before looking up to regard the younger girl with a smile. His hair now sat messily upon his head after leaning down for so long.

"I wonder, what would they think of me for making you carry my belongings as often as you do?" He chuckled.

"For the last time, I'm not some delicate flower!" Ilia protested, folding her arms in disapproval. "It's not beyond me to carry a couple of books around, Shad. How do you think I got _anything_ done back in Ordon?"

"O-Of course, I..."

Shad smirked, contemplating how to phrase the following words.

"I often forget that I am not in the company of a lady from town. There are rules here about such things. Although, come to think of it, nothing of the sort applies to any of the women here... it is certainly not a requirement of Telma's to be chivalrous, and Ashei would sooner jump in the moat than play such games."

Ilia laughed quietly at his words after having experienced the awfulness of the moat for herself.

"I think I'd join her. None of this stuff makes any sense to me, back home women would work on the fields and tend to the livestock as much as the men. It was more like... a community."

"Ah... of course. I did not mean to imply that the culture here was perhaps the normal way of doing things - AHA! There it is! - In fact, believe self-determination to be the cornerstone of any equal society."

"... I... I'm glad you think so. What's _that?"_ The barmaid questioned, as Shad finally stopped rummaging to pull out a particular volume, encased beneath a dark spine.

"With luck, something that can help shed light on why I failed to glean any reaction from the statue today..." He said, wearing a more subdued expression.

"... There is some sort of instrument mentioned in my texts - an object which activates the owl deities. But nobody has been able to locate such a thing in hundreds of years."

"And this book... is about finding the lost item?" Ilia wondered as her eyes scanned over the dark text.

"Not exactly. I had hoped that _maybe_ there was some other way to awaken the statues but... without that, my next bet is on this theory."

Shad stopped short before he continued, tapping the fingers of his free hand against the floorboards.

Whether or not any of this stuff really mattered to Ilia or Ashei - or to _anybody_ polite enough to sit through it - he'd still found it helpful to be able to sound his plans out with an audience.

"They say that the Sheikah were the guardians and secret keepers of the Royal family. And it just so happens that I have a tome on this mysterious group of people. So, if there is a chance of _anything_ in this book being able to explain our connection to the Sky... I must try to find it."

Slowly, he then turned the book over to the front.

The large, red eye of the Sheikah emblazoned upon the cover stared right up at Ilia - sending cold shivers from her fingers all the way up her arms. Further it went, until the horror dipped into the core of her body, beginning to poison her mind.

"Ilia...?" The scholar prompted, noticing the look in her eyes.

Every sense now tingled with alertness for danger and the younger girl gasped, crashing into the table behind her before clutching her head.

"That... _that eye...!"_ She cried, squeezing her own closed.

Muscle memory took over and she could remember running her hands over the stark symbol - feeling the curvature of its eyelid, the prick of the spines on its eyelashes - followed by a flash of something terrible.

_"You can't stay here - it's far too dangerous...!"_

And then she saw herself running, pushing her aching legs to carry her as far as they could in the dark of night.

Her lungs filled with oxygen in such fast succession that her joints began to curl and cramp.

Ilia crashed onto her knees before she screamed.

"NO!! DON'T MAKE ME GO!!"

Shad dropped the horror-inducing item on the floor and hastily kicked it away, well out of their line of sight.

"ILIA!!" He'd shouted, wrapping his arms around her immediately.

"Ilia, it's _me..._ you're _here_ in town, with me...!"

Every part of her felt stiff with fear and cold to the touch, inducing a panic into the distressed scholar.

 _"I'm sorry!_ I'm so sorry, Ilia - if I'd known, I would _never_ have...!!"

Unresponsive, the younger girl then crumpled right out of his hold, and would've fallen to the ground if Shad hadn't hurried to catch her again. He lowered her as carefully as he could onto the floor, looking at the scene before him with pure terror.

The scholar had never dealt with a fainted person in his life and he wondered - _frantically_ \- who he ought to call upon at a time like this. With Link out of town, the next safest bet had to be Ashei. He shuddered to think of what would happen if Telma or Rusl found out about this incident, though finding Ilia a doctor undoubtedly took priority over this fear.

But before he could put a plan into motion, he then opened the door to reveal an extremely furious proprietress, who towered over him in the walkway with her arms on her hips.

She strode into the room - ready to shred him like a sheet of paper.

" **What** in the name of the Goddesses is going on in here?!" Telma roused, immediately.

* * *

A couple of hours later - well after the scholar had helped to carry Ilia urgently down the stairs and wake her with a damp towel - everything seemed to be materialising back into place. Telma closed the bar for the night in order to tend to the shaken girl, who'd woken up shortly after feeling the coolness of water pressed against her face.

Once it appeared as though Ilia were fully coherent, the two women then sat by the counter, sharing in a cup of herbal tea as they talked.

Shad had withdrawn once again into the study to await the consequences of his actions. The storm outside was now in full swing, with lightning strikes and the odd crash of thunder rattling at the buffeted windows, though it had done little to stir the scholar's attention.

After a tentative knock on the door Shad finally looked up to find Telma entering his room.

Immediately, he'd risen to his feet, facing the bejewelled proprietress with all the urgency in the world.

 _"How_ is she? Please, at the very least, tell me that Ilia is alright."

"She's doing better now." Telma assured him, carefully. "... Ilia explained what happened to me, honey."

"... Oh... I see."

Though he'd fully expected to be turned onto the streets for being involved in such a disturbing incident, the scholar was surprised to detect some sympathy in the redhead's voice.

"I'm sorry for suspecting you immediately. You have to admit, though, it would've looked pretty terrible from my end! You spend all that time together and then you've got the poor girl unconscious on your floor? What would I have said to her father? That I'm running a madhouse, here?"

Shad looked away, staring at the wall as he spoke.

"I... I simply do not have the words to explain how sorry I am for what happened, Telma. Truly. I never meant to harm Ilia - however indirectly."

"... I _know,_ Shad. She's been so strong for all of us. She refuses to take the day off, even when she hasn't gotten a wink of sleep." The older woman sighed.

"She... she never wanted you, or Link to worry." The scholar swallowed nervously. "But I understand how dear she is to you both. I suppose it was selfish of me to conceal her worries, though I'd done so at her insistence..."

She smiled down at him, though her eyes seemed to betray a lingering sadness - perhaps over the fact that she'd been unable to support the Ordonian girl she'd all but adopted.

"I can tell that you care for her, honey. And not many people are prepared for situations like this."

Telma then extended her arm and pulled Shad in close for a hug, feeling him squeeze back in solidarity. He deflated a little in her grasp.

"... I will _warn_ you though..." she'd said in a new voice, "... if anything like this happens more than once, I'll string you up."

The younger man's eyes widened in fear as he felt a cold sweat gathering on his forehead.

"Ah, haha... I shall certainly do my utmost to prevent any further accidents." He coughed before releasing the proprietress. Dealing with Ashei's temper was a walk in the park compared to Telma's wrath.

"It was reckless for me to be diving into Hyrule's darker chapters in such company."

"Which brings me to my next point, honey..."

She sighed deeply before levelling with the scholar again, hating to be the bearer of bad news.

"If it isn't too much to ask, I think we ought to give Ilia a break from anything involving the war or Resistance efforts. I knew that this was the sort of environment I'd be bringing her into, so I share the blame here, but..."

"I... understand, Telma."

"No more research trips. No more late nights in the study. If we're to hold meetings, I want them to be done sensibly. I hate to be _that_ person, honey, but we don't know what Ilia went through to get here. And we have to be mindful of that until things get better."

Shad nodded quietly, accepting the terms of agreement.

* * *

The night was heavy and still in the aftermath of the storm, casting a perfect shroud over the moon. In normal conditions this would have seemed the perfect time to catch up on one's rest - but regrettably, Shad now found _himself_ in the predicament of being unable to sleep.

The scholar climbed out of bed after allowing his eyes to drift over the windowpane on the opposite side of the room, which seemed like a dim blur until he reached for his glasses. Despite his newfound vision, there was nothing remotely inviting about the world outside.

Even so, he found himself approaching the glass, before unclicking the lock and letting it swing open.

Climbing the guttering in these conditions was risky - and the rain had left the tiles slippery - but he did so with due diligence before hoisting himself up onto the roof itself. A refreshingly cool breeze cut through the humidity of the air, carrying the scent of the rain along with it.

"... Hey." Came a familiar voice from above.

"Ashei?" Shad blinked, mildly startled. "How did you get up here?"

"I just used the window from my room. It's harder to do, but nothing too dangerous."

"Ah. Of course."

He positioned himself to look at the warrior directly, noticing that the black sheen of her hair and silvery armour were dimmed in the night.

"... I take it you came here to be alone, yeah?" She concluded, rising to get up from her post on the roof.

"Oh, no - don't let me interrupt your night-"

"Nah, I'll go. You're too considerate to say anything otherwise." The warrior smirked at him, though any of her usual subtleties were harder to detect in the dark, behind the few flecks of rain that landed on his glasses.

"No, please... I... I could actually use some company, I think."

Ashei studied the scholar's bleak expression with a frown before she extended her armoured hand, helping him up onto the ridge.

A few days had passed since their little _misunderstanding_ \- with neither party choosing to hold a grudge in this case... not that anybody had actually come forward with the memory of it happening. The warrior had made an effort to stay out of Shad's way without being rude, and it seemed that he'd extended the same courtesy to her, until now.

It looked like whatever was going on with him now outweighed whatever awkwardness might've remained between them.

"... So, what's up? You're never up here this late." She ventured in a cool tone.

"I... I'm afraid I've done something horrible." Shad admitted, looking out over the rooftops.

Ashei had to stop herself from scoffing, struggling to imagine a scenario in which this could be possible, before she waited for him to continue.

"... I might have really hurt Ilia."

"You _hurt_ her?" The warrior repeated, shocked. "Is that why the bar's shut? What did you - uh... what happened?"

With a heavy sigh, the scholar obliged his friend and began to tell the story of what happened. Ashei listened to his words attentively - offering little in the way of interruption - and ruminating over the facts without her usual tone of opposition.

She'd waited for him to finish before she spoke again.

"It was absolutely dreadful, Ashei." He concluded, bleakly.

"You didn't know that would happen! And it sounds like she didn't either, if talking about it hadn't set her off beforehand. It had all to be that eye, on the cover."

Shad breathed deeply and pressed his fingers against his forehead, weighed down by the guilt of his actions. "... I do wonder, though... what could this _mean?"_

"Ilia never ended up telling you her story, did she?"

The scholar simply shook his head in response.

"Not one of us knows the full extent of what she's experienced. But... none of that mattered to me. I only wanted for her... to be able to feel like her _true_ self again. Whoever she was before the war - _that_ was the person I wished to see..."

Ashei smiled a little at his words, though her gaze had been lowered, thoughtfully. "Well..." She began. "It could even be as simple as her passing by that emblem in the time she went missing. But it sounded like she was gone for a while. Weeks, Link said? There's little to go on, here."

Feeling the need to balance his curiosity with the emotional gravity of the situation, Shad continued carefully.

"... But from _where_ could she have seen it?" He'd questioned, with a newfound intensity. "This isn't something that many of us could simply happen upon in our everyday lives. The eye of the Sheikah is a marker of hidden knowledge - occasionally found within graveyards."

"I don't know, Shad. And pestering Ilia about it would be out of the question. None of us are equipped to go digging around in other people's heads."

"... This entire incident is... as  _confounding,_  as it is regrettable."

"... It is, but I think... I'm gonna have to agree with Telma on this one." Ashei said at last. Her eyes slowly scanned the horizon, watching the distant lightning flash over some far away stretch of land. "I think we need to leave it alone."

The scholar followed her gaze beyond the town walls and considered his next question carefully - wanting an honest response. If he were going to get one anywhere, he could not have thought of a better person to ask.

"I wonder then... in light of what's happened, would you... deem it wise for me to give Ilia some space?"

"Wait, what?"

The warrior snapped her attention to him suddenly, looking shocked at the absurdity of his suggestion.

"It is... my greatest fear that I may have hindered her recovery, beyond my usual ramblings about my research. A-And I ask for _your_ opinion... because I do not believe myself capable of deciding such a thing objectively. I need to know if I've made things worse."

"... Wow, Shad. What _is_ it with you and all these epiphanies, lately?"

"My question still stands." He smiled, humourlessly.

Ashei blinked rapidly as she took in his words, finding herself put in a rather uncomfortable position.

Of course Shad hadn't left Ilia's side - he was exactly the type of person to care for others at the detriment of himself. And however charming the ash-blonde girl from the south was, the warrior could never begrudge her for her circumstances. In fact, Ashei had wanted to tear the monsters apart herself, for even daring to steal women and children from their homes.

Yet...

Part of her _secretly_ wondered what it might have been like... to be at the centre of that unwavering compassion.

'What would it be like... if we could start _over?_ And everything between us... _wasn't so... messy?'_

"... I think leaving her alone now would only make things worse. Like, way worse." The warrior answered heavily, snapping out of her train of thought.

"She needs you. And as long as you don't run around wearing that eye on your shirt or whatever, it should be fine. Knock yourself out. Don't beat yourself up in front of her, either... she won't take it well."

Feeling some immense relief at her words, Shad then gently placed his hand upon Ashei's arm. Her body tensed at first, but then she softened, regarding him with a tranquil aura. He'd always been a handsy sort of friend, she'd remembered grimly.

"You... always were the most astute person." He then said, facing her with a kind gaze. "It's a shame I never told you before."

She'd held back a laugh, addressing him in an amused tone.

"Don't make it _weird."_

"What I mean to say is... thank you, Ashei."

"Anytime." She said, meeting his beleaguered smile with one of her own.

* * *

When Link returned to Hyrule Castle Town the following afternoon, not a doormat appeared to be out of place at the bar. Rusl and Auru had immediately briefed him on the location of the Eldin bridge in the Gerudo desert - which he'd conspired with Midna to fix as soon as possible - and Telma had welcomed him back as cheerfully as was her custom.

Seeing Ilia again was always the highlight of his return to the city, although this time he'd danced around the details of the unusual assignment, for fear of invoking her fear of spiders.

But as far as hunting pieces of the Mirror of Twilight had gone - the Temple of Time was by far the most spectacular thing he had ever experienced.

After some brief downtime with Ashei, with whom he'd shared a coffee, and who seemed to understand the importance of _not_ being weighed down by dozens of questions upon arrival, Link made his way to the hallway outside of the scholar's room.

His hand lingered on the door handle - hesitant, once more, that he'd be taking Shad's attention away from something important.

However, this time, he had his own urgency to resolve.

"... My word."

The windows shuddered lightly in the background, pelted with residual rain from their recent storm, as Link sat quietly on the floor - opposite the scholar who'd abandoned his desk to join him on his level.

Ceremoniously, he then placed between them a rather elaborate sceptre of ancient blue steel. The carvings that ran along the prongs at its tip had caught Shad's eye... all but confirming its significance to his own research.

'Could it be...?'

But before he could rejoice, he was reminded of just how elusive and downright _frustrating_ the mystery of the Skies had been from an academic standpoint. In other words - nothing easy was going to come of this discovery.

"So, uh, it's broken." Link said rather sheepishly, breaking the silence. "But I figured that you're probably the _only_ person in Hyrule who'd be able to help me fix it."

"... It's certainly... a very old instrument. I imagine that if any of the scientists in town were to get their hands on it, they'd be able to date it with some accuracy - but if I were to guess, I would say..."

"It's thousands of years old."

The scholar's eyebrows shot up. "... Yes! Housed in some ruins, no doubt. May I?"

"Oh, yeah - go right ahead."

Shad carefully ran his fingers along the hilt, taking in the intricate design, before carefully lifting the wand from the floor. He balanced it in both hands and waited curiously for any signs of life or magic to stir within the curious object... but it remained as stone-cold and silent as the grave.

He'd then lowered it back to the floorboards, wearing a frown.

"... Link, you may have found something that I've been searching for." He began, tentatively. "In theory, this very object - if activated - should be able to communicate with other artefacts of its time. Part of me is still, uh, rather reluctant to believe it... but I _suspect..._ that this may be..."

"The Dominion Rod." The swordsman finished.

The scholar snapped his attention back to Link, letting his eyes wander over the _frighteningly_ gifted younger man with awe. The sound of rain in the background seemed to fall silent as his mind wandered elsewhere.

How could it be, that a simple - however, charming and equally fierce - swordsman from Ordon Village had come into possession of the single most important item in the ancient histories of the Sky?

"... I... am unfamiliar with such a term." He then blinked, looking vulnerable for a moment. "However, if this is _indeed_ the item in question, then its other name is the Rod of the Heavens. This was to be wielded by a Messenger on behalf of the Royal family - the single line of communication between _our_ civilisation and that of the Sky Beings. It is astonishing that you should bring such a thing here now, considering where I am stuck in my research."

Link smiled at Shad once more, this time overflowing with his usual gentle warmth and radiance. "I knew you'd be able to tell me more! And that you'd immediately understand how important it is. Shad, you're a genius."

The scholar's deep eyes widened with shock, blushing ever so slightly at the following revelation.

"You... already knew most of this, didn't you?"

"... Uh, sort of. But it was really cool hearing it from someone like you."

So, had Link actually been... _withholding_ information from him... in the form of some test?

Of all people to play such games, Shad would never have suspected it from him. In fact, the young hero had seemed very much an open book - despite the terrifying truth of his capabilities. Though it hadn't been done maliciously, the scholar had made the mental note that their most handsome recruit was not always as transparent as he seemed.

If anyone wanted the full picture from Link, then they would simply have to be two steps ahead with information.

But then, some prevailing part of Shad's brain offered another strategy;

Why not... _let him win?_ And see where it takes you?

"Well then, I suppose I should let you know that we'll be taking on this assignment together? Though saying so would be a formality, at this point." He winked.

"Yeah! If we can do that, then I'd be able to help with your research... and I might be on my way to uh, finding what _I've_ been looking for. Once that's done, I won't need this thing anymore. The Dominion Rod can be yours."

Shad nearly choked on the spot.

"You would simply... _give_ such a thing to me?"

"It belongs with someone who'll take care of it. Unless, we figure out a better plan after the war." The hero grinned.

Though the scholar was not usually one to let such things pass unnoticed, Shad was well aware of the ambiguity surrounding Link's own mission and wondered what the instrument might be used for in _that_ regard... However, for the time being he was content to simply play along.

"It seems our work is cut out for us. There does... appear to be a problem, however. Well... a couple, in fact."

"We've come _this_ far, haven't we?"

"... Tell me, Link. What do you know of the Sheikah?" He then asked, pushing his glasses up along the bridge of his nose.

"The Sheikah?" Link paused, looking slightly puzzled at the obscurity of the scholar's request. "I... saw that word... only a couple of times in my books. It came up whenever rare magic and rituals were mentioned, stuff that hasn't been practiced in hundreds of years. And nobody knows where they are now."

This time it was Shad's turn to beam at the younger man. Being well-read on a variety of strange subjects was yet _another_ surprise Link happened to have up his sleeves.

"That is correct. They've all but disappeared off the face of the earth, par a few descendants, or people who claim to be as such. But I invoke their name because they were famous for their undying service to the _Royal family._ They might be the only people who could tell us anything further about this... Dominion Rod."

The blonde swordsman sighed a little before he'd stretched out casually on the ground, looking up at the ceiling as he spoke.

"But the civil war happened, right? And on top of that, the Royal family... are..." He trailed off, knowing that this was a particularly uncomfortable topic for Midna.

"Exactly. So, you understand the scope of our predicament. Which... er... brings me to our _second_ issue..."

Hit suddenly with a turbulent mixture of guilt, fear and shame - the scholar paused heavily.

It hadn't gone unnoticed by Link, who eyed him cautiously before he continued.

"... Did you happen to meet with Ilia earlier today?" Shad asked heavily. His tone of voice had begun to shoot adrenaline into the younger man's veins.

"Well, yeah, I did. Is there... some reason I shouldn't have?"

"N-No! No, I didn't... uh... mean to _imply_ that, I..." Shad took a moment to compose himself once more, faced with the hero who now regarded him with a bent eyebrow. "R-Regrettably, Ilia had a... rather severe reaction to the cover of one of my books." He began, reaching under one of the tables and pulling out the offending text for the first time since he'd abandoned it.

"... What... do you mean severe...?" Link frowned, apprehensively. "What's on the cover?"

"The eye of the Sheikah. When Ilia looked upon it, she... underwent a complete mental shutdown. It sent her into shock and Telma scolded me terribly for showing it to her."

The handsome scholar turned to face Link once more, before placing the book face down upon the floorboards - next to the Dominion Rod. "I cannot apologise enough for what happened, Link. It was foolish of me."

"... She went into _shock?_ Is she alright? She never told me anything about that!"

Sensing the dangerous floodwaters, Shad soon realised he'd have to try his hand at calming Link before they could surge out of control. However, it seemed that his usual calm was powerless in the face of such guilt. Months of stress and regret over that day in the Ordon Springs were about to burst forth, in the worst way possible.

"Ilia would not have wanted you to-"

"... I've been with her all day and NOBODY said anything!!"

Looking angrier than Shad could ever remember seeing, the swordsman then rose to his feet and clenched his jaw - pulling at the hair along his fringe. His eyes narrowed... locked forcefully onto the ground before they would ever be wielded against the scholar.

"... Who else knows, Shad?"

_'Oh heavens, what have I done...?'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: ... Uh oh! The shipping will continue, but we're going to wade through some pain first... *evil laughter*


	16. A House Divided

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link's nightmares come true when he finds himself forced to choose between Ilia's wellbeing and continuing the Resistance's war efforts against Zant. 
> 
> Shad, Midna and Ashei hold differing insights into what must be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: These latest chapters have been turning out larger than expected! xD; Here comes the drama...

**Chapter 16 - A House Divided**

In the midst of his conversation with Shad, Link had managed to back himself into a wall - ignoring any hisses from Midna to calm himself down. He then _slammed_ his fist against the wooden panels, jolting the books on the nearest shelf and snarling in pain as he did so.

"Why didn't _anyone_ speak up?! It's bad enough that Ilia doesn't tell me how she's doing - now the REST of you are in on it too! Are they pretending everything's fine for my sake?"

"Please... Link-"

Shad had risen from the floor to try his hand at settling the younger man once again, hoping to Nayru that nobody else could hear the commotion from outside.

"And you didn't answer my question!" Link snapped, nearing the end of his tether. Unlike the outdoors, there was very little space in here to blow off some steam... at least, not without breaking something meaningful.

He'd wished he were back in one of the ancient ruins, which were always filled to the brim with ceramics for him to smash.

_"Who else KNOWS about this, Shad?!"_

"I-I cannot... well..."

The swordsman's intense gaze flared up at once, honing a raw, icy fury that transformed the rest of his angular face. He looked rabid and unrecognisable. And unlike Ashei, who seemed to thrive upon being angry, or Telma, who could launch you into the ceiling with her voice, he was totally unreadable... like a wild animal.

It was then that Shad decided Link was _undoubtedly_ the most frightening person in the building, when mad.

"... Just me, and Telma... and... er, Ashei..." the helpless man swallowed, crumbling under the hero's glare. "Word gets around here fast, so I would be surprised if Rusl and Auru hadn't been... _warned by now..._ we're to keep our operations quiet from here on..."

"... _The entire_ Resistance, then?!" Link staggered. "... Even Ashei hid this from me? I thought we had each other's backs! After all the shit we went through at Snowpeak..."

Grinding his teeth, Link then turned his attention off the anxious scholar and aimed it once more towards the ground. Shad breathed a diminutive sigh of relief that _that face_ was no longer being wielded against him - feeling some residual panic rolling around in the pit of his stomach.

But then, before the cautious older man could properly welcome this reprieve, a new emotion swept over Link's face. The sharp edges of the Resistance's betrayal were sanded down into specks of glass and swept away in a wind of despair, as he said the following words. "None of you think I can handle this."

"... L-Link?"

Bringing a gloved hand to his face, the hero then slumped against the wall and sank onto the floorboards. He refused to respond to, or even glance upwards at Shad, who was now floundering in a tide of horror.

"..."

It seemed now that the younger man had shut himself off emotionally.

"Uh... that is not - w-we don't..."

And although he were feeling extremely out of his depth here, Shad knew that - _now_ \- was probably his only opportunity to try and salvage whatever reputation the Resistance had left with Link... especially while his claws were sheathed.

Goddesses, those blue eyes were terrifying when he was enraged.

He approached the volatile swordsman with slow, careful steps... closing the gap between them, before placing both of his hands on top of the younger man's shoulders. They were incredibly firm and steady for one so deceptively agile - perhaps from deflecting however many strikes with that shield, or constantly drawing that bow strapped to his back.

Tentatively, the scholar then crouched in front of him, keeping his voice quiet and calm.

"It was... hypocritical... of us to conceal such things from you. Especially after the, uh... pains I imagine we've put you through... regarding your own sense of discretion. You've never given us any reason not to trust you, Link. It seems, however, that we have returned the favour poorly. On behalf of everyone here... I do profoundly apologise."

There was a brief delay in which the swordsman composed himself before talking.

"... This isn't even about the missions." Link responded heavily, through his hands. "I don't care about the work, Shad. No matter how hard it gets out there, _I'll_ be fine."

He met the scholar's intelligent gaze once more, his face softening just a little, in an effort to resemble his better self. "It all comes back to... when I couldn't protect Ilia. Out of everything I could've failed to do, that was by far the worst thing."

"I understand." Shad offered, sympathetically. "I might not be of much use out there, in the wild... but I would be absolutely livid if anyone here were in danger."

Link sighed, struggling to keep the memories of that day trapped in the vault under lock and key.

"Well, Shad... imagine if you failed them. Imagine if you saw the monsters drag your best friend away... as your life left your body... and you drowned in the springs, unable to move. And then - months later - you discovered that everyone you knew thought you were going to _snap_ and mess everything up... if you ever found out how badly they'd hurt her..." he trailed off, blinking back tears.

"I should be here, supporting Ilia. Being with her, everyday. Like... _you._ But even then, I'll never be able to make up for letting it all happen..."

"You are supporting all of Hyrule!" The older man all but shouted. "That is no small feat. Link... Listen to me! You are incredible to have survived so much! You are _not_ defined by this one terrible event...!"

He held on fast to the hero's hands, clasping them firmly together in whatever little space remained between them. Link found himself noticing that he could really _feel_ the scholar's presence in the air before him, shielding the dreary cold beyond the window with his body.

But in response, the hero simply looked away... as two tears rolled silently down his cheeks and hit the floor.

"Maybe, but... that doesn't change what's happening in here." He said, enduringly.

"I'm the worst friend, Shad."

The final sentence hung thick in the air, wounding the rattled scholar down to his bones.

The problem wasn't necessarily that he was being perceived as incapable - it was that he was already doing too much. If only there had been some way to make Link actually _understand_ that he was cared for, Shad had wondered; by Ilia, Telma, Ashei and literally everyone else here.

 _"I will not_ have you say those words again, in any capacity!" He'd argued staunchly.

The swordsman blinked back in response, looking a little frightened and ashamed of his own reaction in front of Shad.

Something about it must have fired him up... in an unusual way.

"We made the wrong decision not to tell you about Ilia... I can see that now. But I feel the full weight of responsibility over what happened. It was _my_ oversight... that led to her shutdown. That is why, it was my place to tell you."

Drinking in the new energy from the scholar, Link's eyes locked onto Shad's nervously. He held his sight back with unwavering fervour... with eyes like the first soft touches of nightfall.

"I... _care_ for you, Link... and if it were up to me, I would have taken your place in the water that day so that you could've saved her. Never doubt it."

Upon hearing those words, something new began to stir within the young hero... as though he were finally seeing the scholar through Ilia's eyes.

 _This_ was it.

Behind the sleepless chaos and eccentricities that seemed to follow Shad and his research, _this_ was his prevailing feature - his love and compassion for others.

His love of people and society fuelled his own ambitions of uncovering the past - of which his own understanding would be used for the betterment of Hyrule. And those of his inner-circle, however far away they might've seemed after weeks of intensive studying, were undoubtedly the source of his inspiration. They'd kept him going when any other reasonable person would have given up.

And even though Link could never picture the scholar wielding a sword on the battlefield... he got the very real sense that he'd do that and _more_ if it meant keeping everybody safe.

"... Shad, I... can't blame you... or the Resistance really, for any of this." He'd said, slowly picking himself back up off the floor.

The dashing older man followed suit, giving him space in lieu of his prior efforts to calm him down.

"You've been fixing my mess from the beginning. But I just... don't want to be kept in the dark anymore. That's all I ask. You guys need to tell me about stuff like this as soon as it happens - if it involves _any_ of you getting hurt."

"... Link..." Shad mirrored him, quietly.

He wanted this brief moment of calm to last forever, fearing that it might be disrupted by the following information. His conscience had been heavy for a while... perhaps, clouding his own judgement where an intervention ought to have happened.

"... Old boy, there's... something else I need to tell you. It's about... Ilia's dreams at night... I-"

But then, they were interrupted by a quiet knock on the door.

The two men whipped their attention up before Shad stepped even _further_ away from the hero, calling out shakily to the visitor.

"Who is it?"

"It's me." Came a chipper voice from the other side of the wall.

"Can I come in?"

The scholar promptly opened the door to find the bright ash-blonde woman - who they'd _just_ happened to be talking about - looking up at him for the first time since her fainting spell. On appearances alone, nobody would've been able to guess that today was contextually different from any other. But her nightclothes at this hour suggested that it was likely to be another day off from work.

Shad's eyes widened in surprise as he regarded her, fully.

"Oh - g-good evening, I-Ilia..."

"... Thanks, Shad." She said, simply. The young barmaid had certainly _noticed_ the fact that he'd been keeping a low profile since the incident and was less than impressed with the current state of affairs.

Ilia then brushed past him, walking confidently into the room.

"Hey." Link greeted, poorly concealing the concern on his face. He sniffed loudly, rubbing his eyes to hide the fact that he'd cried not too long ago.

"Good, you're here, too. I wanted to talk to both you."

"Um, sure... if that's alright with you?" He'd asked in a bewildered tone, checking in with the scholar.

"Yes, of course!" Shad agreed. He cleared his throat gently before he spoke again. "... I was beginning to worry, uh.... that I hadn't seen you. What appears to be the matter?"

An uneasy silence fell over the three, who appeared to be maintaining some respectable amount of space from one another. The atmosphere suggested that they were mentally preparing themselves for what was to come.

Ilia breathed in deeply, shutting her eyes for a moment before she began to address the two men with unshakable composure.

"I don't want to be scared of what happened to me anymore."

Unsure of what this could possibly entail, Link stared back at her in alarm... while Shad began to fidget with his hands.

"... What... do you mean, anymore?" The younger man had asked, quietly.

"You _know_ by now, Link. There's no way Shad didn't tell you. And I can't go the rest of my life fearing the next reminder." She swallowed before continuing.

"I'm saying that I want to remember. But I'll need to _your_ help to do it."

Both of the men were staring back at her now, shell-shocked at the declaration. The scholar certainly feared any further involvement with this matter, after the caution he'd received from Telma yesterday.

"Ilia, you don't have to-"

"Please don't feel obligated to force-"

"Stop! Both of you - let me finish!" The fierce girl interjected, lowering her eyebrows at them both. "When I saw that book, something came back to me... it wasn't a full picture but... that eye. I _know_ something about it. I know of someone who..."

Link and Shad waited patiently for her to continue, the latter feeling some of his prior suspicions confirmed.

"I get the terrible feeling that someone is in danger. And in some way, they're connected to that eye. So... if you can _help me remember..._ I think I might be able to give you information on that word you mentioned... 'Sheikah.' I think... it has something to do with why I'm alive."

Breaking the silence in such moments was uncomfortable for Shad, and he still had the rules set in place by the proprietress to contend with... but something _else_ came back to him in his prior conversation with Ashei. He wondered about the bit of advice he'd received - especially from one so emboldened by the trials of the world.

_'I think we need to leave it alone...'_

"Ilia, this is a... very risky idea." He frowned, doing his best to maintain a diplomatic tone. "And I am loathe to endanger your mental health to obtain such a thing. No discovery could be worth the price."

"Y-Yeah! That's not, uh... we'll find some other way."

In comparison, Link had a far more difficult time suppressing his emotions. He looked equal parts shocked and disapproving of the idea. "Shad and I can do our own reading and we'll figure something else out. We've got it sorted. Really."

Ilia glared back at the unwilling pair, holding her hands on her hips. She learned forward and lowered her eyelids in discontent.

"... You're turning me down?"

The swordsman cringed, knowing this stance all too well - she was about to be _furious._

"What about the fact that I said somebody's in danger?" She'd nearly shouted, raising her voice well beyond its usual range of sweetness. "Are you just going to forget about them because it's _easier_ for you?"

Link hesitated, wondering how best to calm the storm brewing in Ilia's eyes - as the scholar looked back to the book and the Dominion Rod on the floor, quietly reconsidering their options.

"I just want to help the Resistance!" She continued. "And if you're there, with Shad, it won't be as _bad._ It doesn't have to be. You can both talk me through it... I'll have my memories back and you'll have a lead for information. We all get what we want out of it. Please!"

"... If this is something that you... truly want... then I would consider it - for the purposes of healing..." Shad began, flinching slightly at the look on Link's face. "But I could not proceed in good conscience with such an act unless all of us reach an accord."

"What about you, then?" The younger girl questioned at last, turning to her best friend.

"I saved your life that day, Link. I summoned the spirit of Ordona. And I freed Colin, Malo, Talo and Beth near Kakariko, regardless of what would happen to me. All I want are my memories back... so that I'm not stuck like this forever. And I want to save... that person, if they're still out there. They might still need me."

Link looked back at her with profound intensity, the azure of his eyes resembling flame more than sky.

"Ilia, I _can't_ do this to you." He said, adamantly. "I won't."

He'd hated himself for disagreeing in light of everything Ilia had done throughout her ordeal, but there was no compromising on this matter for him... he could not put her through this again.

"You know what it was like... out there, with those monsters, right? If someone was being harmed way back then - there's absolutely no way they'd still be alive now... there's no point in going back. We'd be making everything worse."

"So... that's it? You're really just giving up on me and _abandoning_ someone who might need your help?!" She razed.

Meanwhile, Shad’s attention was held firmly by the door of the study. He dreaded the prospect of Telma barging in, certain that this time he really would be kicked out.

"I expected better of you! You're supposed to be helping people, not doing whatever _this_ is!!"

Link knew that this was the wrong thing to say, that it was his honour on the line as the hero chosen by the light spirits, but he didn't care... she needed to hear it.

There were certain lines he would not cross.

He grabbed Ilia's shoulder - a little rougher than she'd been accustomed to with Shad - and spoke, determinedly.

 _"You're_ more important to me."

All at once, the fire seemed to go out of the embattled woman. It was a frightening new development for the swordsman, who'd never seen her back down from anything, and he wondered just how badly he'd ruined things with her.

She regarded him coldly, more so than anyone could've guessed she was capable of, and then brushed his arm away.

"... Wow, Link."

"If we could perhaps... _maintain_ this level of volume... that would be splendid...!" The scholar nearly whispered in hushed tones, holding his breath for any movements from outside.

Ignoring Shad's request, Ilia levelled the swordsman with one final, scathing glare.

"I'd go and do it myself but it won't work." She said, venomously. "None of this can work without you!"

And then, before anybody could respond, she whirled around and stormed into her room - slamming the door shut behind her.

* * *

After falling into in a contentious position with Ilia, Link spent the rest of the night scouring books with the scholar in an effort to find something - _anything,_ that would help their predicament.

It also appeared that Shad had taken on the extra work in a personal attempt to fix things between the affected parties, kindly reassuring the young Ordonian "not to worry, old boy," every hour or so.

But unfortunately, despite the extra pair of eyes, neither of them had been able to locate anything even remotely helpful to reviving the Dominion Rod in the current array of texts. And after several hours of studying, Link finally looked over to see Shad hunched over the desk, wrapped in profound sleep.

He smiled.

Feeling his curiosity get the better of him, the swordsman then got up from the floor - stepping carefully over the books scattered around him - and moved closer to admire the oblivious scholar. After a couple of moments had passed, Link wandered over to the bed and grabbed one of the blankets to drape over Shad's shoulders.

In the aftermath of his fight with Ilia, this was definitely a soothing moment in comparison.

Shad was breathing quietly, without a twitch or a spasm, and perhaps the most inaudible snore Link had ever heard. His copper hair was so unruly that it spilled over the books nearby. And the rest of his face was so relaxed that it seemed to take years away from him - not that he could've been older by more than a couple.

... Shyly, Link had _meant_ it when he'd returned Shad's "handsome" compliment. And some inner part of him soared whenever he'd managed to catch the older man's attention, as fleeting and as brilliant as it was.

He then wondered, absently, whether anything like gender _really_ mattered when it came to attraction - but the truth was, it had no impact on the kind of wonderful person that Shad was. It was the same principle with Ashei, who wasn't traditionally feminine by any means, but who had her own identity and carried herself with more swagger than any man he'd ever met.

Both of them were so unapologetically... _themselves_ that Link couldn't help but find them fascinating. Even though admiring one of them felt akin to facing down a sharpened blade, and the other inverted this attention - making you feel like a magnificent creature to be studied.

His journey had certainly led to him meeting many interesting people.

 _'Finally,_ you're alone!' Midna sighed in his ear, breaking the Hylian out of his trance. She'd sounded exasperated beyond her limit.

'That was rather smart of you, checking whether he was really out.'

Link's attention wandered back over to the languid scholar, who looked gentle as ever in his slumber.

"... Yeah." He said aloud, clearing his throat. "Looks like he won't be up in a hurry. It's been a long day, Midna..."

'Good. Now find somewhere quiet, Link. We need to talk.'

* * *

Having scoped out the empty bar downstairs, the young hero took a seat at the meeting table - his sharp face illuminated by a single candle. It was his first time seeing the tavern completely dark and empty, and the stillness in the air raised the hair on his arms.

His eyes flickered around in the gloom as he visualised everything the way that it was yesterday, before it all unravelled. Telma and Ilia had been conducting business as usual behind the bar, Ashei was sitting alone some ways across the floor, closest to the window, Rusl and Auru were holding quiet discussions at this very table and Shad, who _used_ to sit in this chair, had been shut away in the study once again.

Link feared that he really had ruined the scholar's afternoon, given everything that had transpired since then.

Floating in the air in front of him now, on the other side of the table, was Midna - who'd become a voice of solidarity through much of the chaos over the last few months. And in a rare display of reverence, she'd taken her corporeal form, out in the open of the Light Realm.

It seemed that she were either totally confident in the fact that they couldn't be caught at this hour... or what she was about to say was _too_ important to be done covertly.

Link was fairly confident in guessing which option was most likely.

"... Before we begin, you need to know that I... don't want to hurt anyone. Except for **him.** " The ordinarily merciless girl began. "I don't have any grudges against your people, Link."

"Come on, Midna, we're past that." He sighed. "As much as you don't want to admit it, you're a good person. And you don't want us to go through what _you_ have..."

"... Good." She agreed, self-consciously.

Then, with a sigh of her own, the fiend placed her hand on top of his. Her tiny fingers were splayed right over the spot where his Triforce markings were - tingling menacingly beneath his glove.

"Which is why, I'm going to have to ask you to reconsider that girl-"

 _"Ilia._ Her name is Ilia."

"Ilia's offer."

Link's eyes immediately darkened, breaking contact with Midna's own burning vermilion to glare at the table. He'd gone completely quiet, prompting her to continue her pitch.

"We've got just _one_ more piece of the Mirror to find... and then it'll be over! All of this will end. But we're stuck without the Dominion Rod and your Ilia seems to know something we don't. And I'd bet that your little scholar friend is onto the right track... I mean, he'll even _help you_ do it so you don't have to suffer through this alone. Aren't you at least a little concerned about these memories, Link?"

The hero looked back at her dryly, without a flicker of change in his emotion. Most of his early stubbornness against Midna had subsided but she knew now that she'd dredged it up one final time, as frustrating as it was to deal with.

"No." He said.

"This whole thing has nothing to do with Ilia. And that person she's worried about... is probably long dead. This isn't going to help anyone. We're just going to hurt her, all over again."

"Come on, Link. We can't waste any leads! We're at a crucial stage-"

 _“Don’t you GET it?!"_ He'd suddenly snapped, now barely mindful of the fact that the rest of the house was meant to be sleeping.

"I don’t want to _do this,_ Midna! It would undermine the whole reason I started fighting. Ilia deserves better - and I WON'T use anybody like this to get us to the end... I refuse!"

The imp withdrew her hand, frowning thoughtfully at the young man. For all the fighting they'd done - she'd learned that the best approach with him was to be gentle... as outside of her comfort zone it was.

But this matter was far too urgent to soften with words.

She needed to make him understand what was at stake.

“Putting the girl through this isn’t exactly my cup of tea, either." The shadowy girl continued, conveying a tone of genuine remorse. "... But we tried it _your_ way and found nothing. We don’t have time, Link. The longer we wait, the stronger **he** gets.”

“I KNOW that!"

Link slammed his left fist onto the table, causing the tiny candle flame to flicker. He'd vaguely remembered that Ilia was actually a rather light sleeper, and paused to listen out for any sounds of movement from upstairs.

After the brief diversion, he continued, quietly.

"... There has to be some other way.”

Midna held his gaze with an unapologetic intensity, her scorching red eyes and electric green veins glowing brightly in the dark.

“The way I see it, Link... We either do this, or everyone in your world comes _that_ much closer to falling under Zant. I’m not being dramatic or trying to guilt you for my revenge. That’s a fact. He took my kingdom from me like it was _nothing,_ and my _people-”_

She immediately froze, fearing that stupidity of her words had prematurely unravelled her identity in front of the Hero of Light.

But to her relief, Link merely regarded her with a withering expression.

"... I'll get you your home back, Midna. Just... not like this. Please."

Though it were not in her nature to blush, the Twilight Princess caught herself before she could falter. She would not be undone by such a careless mistake.

"... It's not like I want anyone to relive their nightmares. But the alternative is worse... much worse than you might've tasted after our little adventures in the Twilight curtains. Hyrule _will_ die without any connection to the light. And everything that you love, including Ilia, will be gone forever. There will be nothing left, Link..."

Midna gave a thoughtful pause before continuing, watching the subtle conflict in Link's eyes as he envisioned the reality of such an outcome.

“She’s a strong girl, y’know. I think she’ll be fine. She even volunteered to help you out! Doesn’t that _remind_ you of someone? … Someone who _gave everything in her power_ to help us?”

"... Zelda." He repeated, almost inaudibly.

The Princess's faint smile had haunted him in his dreams for weeks on end - resolute in her decision to sacrifice herself for the grieving shadow. Midna had never been able to articulate her feelings on what had happened in the tower that night, though Link might've guessed as much through her usual avoidance of the subject.

“I know... you’re right…" He'd budged, baring his teeth.

"It’s just… I thought that this was over. I thought Ilia would at least have some peace, here.”

The imp crossed her arms, looking away as she spoke.

“What makes her exempt from this mess, Link?" She questioned, allowing her impatience to seep back into her voice.

"Are you saying it’s alright for the rest of us to burn just so your friend can be happy? Is it okay for Zelda to sacrifice herself so that we can waste the time she’s bought us? Even if you’re putting Ilia first, you’re being selfish.”

Selfish.

The word hit him like an anchor, dragging him down beneath the surface of the lake without a single scale of Zora amour. In his struggle for air, he'd wanted to grab onto someone - _anyone_ \- who could pull him out without succumbing to the same fate.

But that was impossible...

There was Ilia who had _asked him_ to free her from whatever traumas lay hidden in the recesses of her mind. And he'd pushed her away, however harshly he'd needed to in order to maintain the facade that everything was okay... and that the past was better left there.

Then there was Shad, who seemed _just_ as fearful of being put into this position - but who was also willing to see it through, bearing responsibility for the consequences as they came. He'd acted in both of their steads without prejudice; a much needed face of neutrality in this conflict.

And then there were Telma, Bo, and Rusl to consider... all of whom that could never completely forgive him if something happened to Ilia, beyond repair.

Link would've let himself suffer in her place. In fact, he wished that it _could have been him._ But the truth of Midna's words settled the matter. Unless they did this and fixed the Rod of the Heavens in time, everybody would suffer the same fate. Everything that the light touched would simply cease to be.

All of them would drown.

“… Midna, I’m… sorry.”

The hero was out of tears to shed for the moment, feeling utterly exhausted by the range of emotions he'd burned through in a single day. He leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table, tilting his gaze upwards from the floor.

And then he focused on what he needed more than anything in the world.

An end. To all of _this._

“I… won’t hesitate or jeopardise our mission, anymore. I promise. There’s too much riding on this.”

“Good." Midna sighed, looking the slightest bit ashamed for having it all come to this. "I’ll… give you some privacy. And I won’t ask you to do anything like this again, if it can be helped. I know what they mean to you...”

The Twilight Princess regarded him in some unreadable manner before she disappeared, diving back into his shadow as the candle flame flickered once more. The hero shuddered, feeling the chill of her presence fused back into his.

'Think about the rest of us, Link.' She reminded him faintly, from the dark.

'Our survival depends on you.'

* * *

"You want to do _what?!"_ Ashei had snapped in surprise. "... Do I look like I know the worst people in town, or something?"

"No! Not at all!" Ilia defended. "I just wanted information... if you happened to know of anyone who would do that type of work... I'd be grateful."

It was morning, and the two young women of the Resistance were in the midst of a private conversation, just outside from the prying ears of the bar.

Ashei definitely thought it strange when Ilia approached her directly for some type of help - and quietly wondered whether this was yet _another_ problem involving Shad - but had decided to hear her out, nonetheless. Her composure was soon shattered upon hearing that the younger girl planned on navigating the perilous seas of her subconscious mind, behind the backs of her two closest confidants.

The warrior growled under her breath, wondering how best to put the following words to Telma's protégé. Despite appearances, Ilia was not an especially fragile person... she was a survivor - she'd established _that_ much at the very least.

But digging around in a bunch of traumatic memories that had been submerged for a reason? The warrior knew better than to encourage this.

It was also clear that the scholar had refused to participate in such a thing - as he ought to have, because it was a _terrible_ idea.

"... Listen, it's none of my business what you wanna do with yourself after that whole... thing, that happened." Ashei began, in a clearly uncomfortable tone. "But this isn't the answer. If you've forgotten about what happened, I'd call that a blessing. I've seen things out there that... after years of... ugh, you're lucky, okay? Seriously, Ilia."

"Ashei, I can't spend the rest of my life being scared. And whether I like it or not, the memories are starting to control me now." Ilia continued, holding back on how upset she really was. "This is something that I need to do. "

"... I don't think I can help you with this, farm girl. And my advice is not to trust any charlatan who says that they _can._ In this place, they'll just take your money and leave you worse off, yeah?"

The warrior frowned as she looked over the downtrodden barmaid, who was obviously running out of options.

But this city was no Ordon Village. There was profit to be made by inept soldiers, quack doctors and a variety of other tricksters who preyed on poor unfortunate souls like this one.

"Look, Shad obviously cares about-"

"Shad doesn't get to decide how I recover!" Ilia snapped. "In fact, he's the only one willing to help me! But he won't do it because of Link... and now, probably because of _you."_

"Pfft, he doesn't always listen to me."

"He respects your opinion. And you could change it, if you wanted to."

Ashei was taken aback by the younger girl's fiery response - though in truth, she'd actually found herself admiring Ilia's determination.

"... I mean... come on, you'd really wanna go through with this stupid idea?" She'd asked wryly. "Don't get me wrong, I still think it's awful. But..."

Her dusky eyes had wandered over to the study window, quietly wondering what the scholar would've made of this mess.

And then she spotted them.

Shad and Link were standing inconspicuously by the window, which was now slightly ajar... with the obvious intent of eavesdropping on their conversation.

After a split-second delay, the two men scrambled madly around each other in an effort to escape the warrior's line of vision. She was sure she'd heard a crash onto the floor before she turned her attention back to the barmaid.

"But what?" Ilia clarified.

"... But I need to commit a double homicide, that's what." Ashei finished, cracking her knuckles.

It hadn't taken very long for the armoured girl to slip back inside and power up the stairs in a flash of crimson and steel, her face darkened with violent purpose.

She could've sworn that Telma had spotted her from the bar - but the equally fierce redhead decided to stay out of it for whatever reason; possibly coming to the conclusion that whatever was about to happen was fully deserved.

 _"What the hell_ are you doing in here? Dragging me into your mess and then breaching my privacy like that?!" The warrior roared, bursting in through the study door, which had taken more than its fair share of abuse this week.

"Oh, g-good morning, Ashei!" Shad stumbled nervously, halfway through climbing into the closet.

Using his quick reflexes, Link had managed to wrap himself in the blanket from the table and dive onto the bed before she came in - pretending to be a pile of laundry. He remembered what the warrior could do to a beast three times their size and knew better than to put himself in the firing line.

"Don't _'good morning'_ me, you book-snake!" She growled at him, before Ilia darted into the room behind them.

"Wh... What did you call me?"

Though the scholar were clearly guilty, he'd choked on his laughter - failing to stifle his amusement.

"How _dare_ you spy on me? Both of you! You'd better start apologising or I'll lock you in there, myself...!"

"Wait - stop this!" The younger girl intervened, running in front of Shad.

He could've cried with relief after seeing how effective Ilia was at subduing his usual cat-and-mouse game with Ashei. They'd gone nearly a week since their last fight, and as much as it frightened him to admit it, every visceral detail of that confrontation was still fresh in the back of his mind.

"They were just looking out for me, incase I did something dangerous. Don't hurt anyone Ashei, please..."

“Ilia…” Came a new voice.

The other three turned to see Link getting up off the bed - his sand-coloured hair a tousled mess from his unusual form of camouflage. "... Could you, um... close the door? ... I think we all need to talk."

Shad stepped away from the racks of clothing he'd planned to lose himself in and closed the closet door, suspecting a change in tactics from yesterday's study marathon. Ashei also stopped herself short from trapping the scholar in there indefinitely, noticing the unsettling nature of Link's tone.

And then; finally, Ilia turned to give Link her full attention, after shutting the study door more quietly than anyone else had managed to do all week.

"Yes...?"

She stood impatiently before him with her arms folded, not wanting anything less than an agreement.

"... I've thought some more about what we discussed yesterday." He said, a little more stilted than normal. "I’m... so sorry to ask this of you. Ilia, I.... know you’ve already been through so much and I hate myself for it but... we're running out of options. I have something I need to fix and Shad won't be able to finish his research without it."

Ashei’s attention snapped at the sudden change in approach from the swordsman.

Hadn't Ilia just said that this was off-limits for him?

"So... if… you could try to bring up those memories for us, you could be saving us a lot of time. Time that we don’t have at this point. It could mean the difference between ending the war."

"Wait, seriously? You’re not going ahead with this, are you?" The warrior cut in, finding herself invested with break-neck speed.

"Ashei, we need to let Ilia decide-"

 _"No!_ This is stupid and reckless! Are you going to be responsible for what happens if she becomes re-traumatised? Some of those memories stayed buried - _for a reason."_ A brief silence followed before the warrior spoke again, talking much softer than her usual abrasive custom.   
  
"You know what it's _like,_ Link... trying to forget something you wish you hadn’t seen..."

"Exactly. Which is why this war needs to end now." Link said quietly.

After glancing between the two fighters, Ilia's gaze settled onto the quiet scholar, who spoke up with some measured reluctance.

 _"First_ and foremost... I realise that my opinion may be heavily biased due to my research hanging in the balance... but I will respect whatever it is that Ilia wishes to do. I will not be adding any more fuel to this fire."

"I expected better from you, Shad..." Ashei glared venomously, wanting to shake her friend for his lack of foresight. However, the thought of being in any prolonged proximity to him during an argument easily sent another bolt of panic into her.

“Don’t mistake me! I loathe this idea." The scholar sighed, momentarily removing his glasses to press his hand against his eyes. "It is deeply unethical and at too high a personal cost. But without it we might be stuck, indeterminately. And above all... this is Ilia's path."

“Everyone, stop! Please stop fighting over this.”

Ilia held the attention of the warring room - looking more decisive than ever.

“When I said I'd do anything to help the Resistance, I was serious. So if there’s even a _chance_ that I can stop whatever’s happening to Hyrule now... I’ll do it. There’s too much riding on this. Your research-”

“... Is secondary to your wellbeing...” Shad interjected.

“Is _important_ and it will help Link. So I have to remember what happened.”

The barmaid wandered over to the scholar and squeezed his hand gently, causing Ashei to turn away in embarrassment.

Meanwhile, the hero had sunken down onto the bed at some point during the argument, holding his head in both of his hands.

"... Thank you so much, Ilia. Thank you. I promise, I won’t ask anything more. And if it doesn’t work, I’ll find some way to fix it. I'll find whatever I can to heal you."

"... Don’t pretend that you wouldn’t you do to the same, in Ilia's position." Shad reminded the warrior gently. She simply rolled her eyes at him, snapping in response.

"Of course I would – because it’s _my job._ I’m supposed to be expendable... Defenceless people like her? Not so much!"

“Nobody here is expendable! And I’m not some helpless victim. I don’t want to sit here, waiting around for this town to be destroyed when I might’ve been able to help. So let’s try this at least once, with your support. And Ashei, it's going to be fine." Ilia promised, turning to face the armoured girl who'd surprised _everybody_ by fighting in her stead.   
  
"It’s nothing I can’t handle. With all of you are here, I’ll feel much safer."

"Oh, I’ll be there. Someone has to smack these two into the ground if they make things worse."

"Alright, then," Link spoke up with a note of finality, feeling a lump in his throat. At once the other three turned their attention back to him after rising from the bed. His blue eyes were hardened with conviction, wearing a poker-face that could've rivalled Telma's on cards night.   
  
"Let’s get this thing underway."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks again to everyone for sticking with this so far! Loads of shipping planned after this arc so let's push through it... and remember, that bad times are just times that are bad. ;)


	17. Light as a Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ilia embarks on a journey to uncover the rest of her memories, as Shad, Link and Ashei struggle to weather the process.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This was a tricky chapter to get through, I appreciate the feedback and am excited to move onwards!

**Chapter 17 - Light as a Feather  
**  
"Hold your horses." Ashei exhaled sharply. She'd recognised Link's eagerness to throw himself into the flames and stepped in to give him pause, her mission now set. "We've gotta lay out the groundwork, first. If this is going to happen, it needs to be done _properly."_  
  
"Pardon the interruption but... do we have your word then, that you'll harbour our secret while we do this?" Shad prompted, as he and Ilia looked to her in unison.  
  
The warrior held back a scowl, clearly irked by the level of naivety they both embodied at this moment. "Yes! ... Obviously! But don't _push_ me, Shad. You're lucky I'm not turning you in. Have you actually seen Telma when she's out for blood? That's one woman I don't ever plan on pissing off... and you might as well be her kid."  
  
The younger girl had a difficult time holding back how emotional this made her, knowing that it were true... and that certainly, this decision would be putting Shad's integrity on the line.  
  
"Please, don’t say anything to her now." Link protested. He moved in close to the precarious warrior and put his hand on the side of her upper arm, causing her to recoil just slightly.  
  
"If not for Ilia... Do it for _me?_ And what we talked about on our assignment?"  
  
"... I'm not here to obstruct you, Link." Ashei responded, wearily. Weeks of fighting had taken their toll and she'd been forced to accept the fact that taking everything at face value in this place had caused far more problems than it had solved. If the young swordsman _truly_ thought that this was worth doing, then she would decide to wait... and observe the outcome.  
  
"That means we'll all be implicated in this. And in that case, I'm here to ensure it'll go well."  
  
"Then we thank you for your discretion, Ashei." Shad said quietly.  
  
She then turned her attention to Ilia, assessing her briefly in the morning light. "Well then, farm girl... we can't just... _subject_ you to this sort of thing and expect you to pop back downstairs for a laugh and a cup of tea. You'll need time to recover. And most importantly, we need to pick a time when we _can't_ be interrupted."  
  
"So, what would work best?" Link enquired.  
  
"Happy hour." Ilia spoke up. "It's full-on busy downstairs, so we won't be bothered... and I'll have the rest night off."  
  
"And we need a contingency plan." Ashei glared. "What are YOU going to do about this, if it becomes a disaster?"  
  
The younger man clenched his teeth, averting his gaze from Shad who regarded him with a hollow expression - his eyes narrowed slightly in sympathy.  
  
"... If it goes wrong, Ilia, and you find something you don’t want to remember... I'll let Telma know on your behalf. And if it's serious, I can take you to Renado. Immediately." He replied in a hardened tone.  
  
"I'll go with you." Shad had also decided, without a moment's hesitation.  
  
"... Thank you - _all_ of you - for worrying so much. Hopefully it won't come to that but I'll do my best to be strong."  
  
To say that Shad feared the wrath of the proprietress for dredging up Ilia’s memories was a massive understatement. At the very least, he expected to be homeless, and for their friendship to be irreparably fractured. From day one, Telma had _trusted_ him to do the right thing around the embattled girl, and up until this point, everything had seemed so easy.  
  
But now? He would have to defy her in order to free Ilia from her memories.  
  
The fact that Ashei was aware of this dynamic and had offered to help them anyway, spoke volumes about the level of responsibility she was willing to take on. She'd wanted them all to succeed, in spite of the cost. That much was clear.  
  
"So, we'll meet here tonight? At six o'clock?" Link confirmed with the group.  
  
"... Sounds like a _great_ evening. We're in."  
  
"I shan't be anywhere else."  
  
"And, uh... you're sure... that you still want this?" He'd then asked, turning to his best friend. "It's not too late to back out, you know. If you ever change your mind..."  
  
"I'm positive." Ilia nodded. "I need to know if this can work, Link. Otherwise I'll never feel completely like myself again. I'll always be... halfway here."  
  
"Nayru, watch over us all." Shad sighed.

* * *

Like clockwork, the group soon dispersed back to their regular duties - attempting to maintain the illusion that everything was back to normal.  
  
Ilia wore a smile as she threw on her apron and joined Telma once again on the bar floor, keeping herself well and truly busy for the remainder of the day. There was no escaping the fact that tonight might change her forever and she refused to spend any of the time leading up to that moment worrying.  
  
Even if her fingers trembled as she deposited money into the till.  
  
"Are you feeling better today, honey?" Telma had asked her.  
  
As twilight bathed the city streets in muted orange and the bar swelled with activity, the barmaid eventually took this cue to hang up her work clothes and commence her disappearing act for the rest of the evening.  
  
"Goodnight, Telma...! And Rusl, Auru... and you too, Louise." She'd said, bowing politely over the noise.  
  
After a brief moment alone, in which she'd returned to her room, Ilia tore off the curtains that she'd draped over the dresser mirror and stared back at her reflection. This whole experience had felt akin to living within a dream... one that she was fully prepared to wake up from if it stopped the fears that had gripped her each night.  
  
Resolute in her decision, she'd then departed for the study.  
  
Link and Shad had been talking amongst themselves quietly as Ashei leaned against one of the nearby tables with her arms folded.  
  
"Ah yes, Ilia...! It appears to be time." Shad welcomed her, refusing to let his fear command the rest of the evening.  
  
She then noticed a single pillow on the floorboards surrounded by an array of candles - casting odd shadows around the room where there were normally none to be found.  
  
And in front of this pillow, was the black book that had started it all, sitting face-down before she would meet it again.  
  
"Um, here. Take a seat." Link offered, now gesturing to the spot on the floor they'd prepared for the ritual. "We were just... going over everything. Shad's put some guidelines into place."  
  
"Indeed I have, I would not have you undergo this dreadful process without the necessary protections."  
  
Ilia settled onto the pillow as the others joined her on the floor, creating a circle between them.  
  
Shad leaned forward as he addressed her, smiling in a manner that very nearly masked his anxiety for the following act. For he'd known - deep down - that if _he_ couldn't keep it together, the others would undoubtedly fail at keeping their own emotions in check.  
  
Link would immediately return to punishing himself, spiralling down into that headspace where everything that had happened was _his_ _fault..._ and Ashei would be back on the offense, probably threatening to blow up the entire tavern.  
  
All of which, would make everything that much worse for Ilia.  
  
"We will need to decide upon a key thought or phrase that can ground you back into the present, should you ever find yourself feeling... overwhelmed." He explained, delving back into his theoretical mind-set. "The idea is that your reaction will be mitigated by this _other_ memory... ideally, it will be something powerful. Something that fills you with joy, or peace."  
  
"You mean like... a safe place?" Ilia simplified.  
  
"Yes! Precisely!" Shad beamed back at her. "For instance, if it were _me,_ I would probably choose to retreat to... the Royal Archives." He said, feeling a little embarrassed at how silly and straight-laced this must've seemed to the other three in the room.  
  
"You would choose that." Ashei commented.  
  
After shooting an oddly defiant look at her in return, the scholar closed his eyes and pressed on - hoping to give a decent enough illustration of this concept.  
  
_"Ahem_... for further detail... I can recall its painted ceiling and polished floors, the intricate shelves of carved wood and gold, the faint, musty smell of the books, and... ah, that feeling of _wonderment_ in the air! To know that these authors and their knowledge yet linger in this world - _reigniting_ the flames of passion that spurn my research onward...!"  
  
The scholar opened his eyes to the silent room before he coughed into his hand, blushing slightly.  
  
"... W-Would you happen to have any ideas for such a place, Ilia?"  
  
"I do, actually! I completely get it."  
  
Ilia met Link's gaze and the two Ordonians smiled at each other, bringing levity into the room for what felt like the first time that day.  
  
"There's a famous spring near my village, along the forest trail not far from Link's house. It's got waterfalls, soft white sand... and it's at the bottom of this cliff, covered in moss and vines. Grass-whistles grow along the water's edge, where you can see the frogs... and sometimes rabbits, foxes and deer - with their babies in the warmer months - if you visit at dawn or dusk. And it has that almost... rain-like scent."  
  
"It's the best spot. If you come and visit, we'll take you there." Link insisted, looking back intently towards Shad and Ashei.  
  
"Ah, yes! It sounds perfect for this exercise!" The scholar gleamed, momentarily removed from the gravity of the situation. "Which, erm... brings us back to the procedure... I wonder then, would you able to close your eyes and conjure the image of these springs on command, for me?"  
  
Ilia nodded and obeyed, taking in and following the scholar's instructions.  
  
The taciturn warrior had since gotten up and moved around quietly in the background, flashing glances out of the window and pausing mid-step to listen out for any movement from beyond the door. She _loathed_ the idea of sneaking around like this - like a common _rat..._ but in the brief moment of peace, she'd doubled-down on her promise to protect these idiots.  
  
Nobody was going to jeopardise this operation on her watch.  
  
"... Good. This is excellent, Ilia. Well then, I think we may be in a position to proceed...?" The scholar finalised, catching the attention of the other two. A nearby candle danced briefly with smoke, casting shadows against his pointed face.  
  
Link nodded slowly before he reached out and took Ilia's hand, clasping it gently in support. But Shad cleared his throat as he spoke again, his chest growing heavy under the weight of his guilt.  
  
"Oh... uh, forgive me, old boy... but I believe that this might _distract_ Ilia from the sensations one might experience when conjuring their repressed memories. As much as it pains me to say..."  
  
"I'll get through this just fine." She smiled back at the swordsman, slipping out of his calloused fingers. "I promise."  
  
Link could feel his face kicking back into a neutral expression, pretending that this were yet another battle to overcome.  
  
"... Sorry." He'd apologised, mostly to Shad.  
  
"I'm ready. And I'll be right here, Ilia... if you _at any point_ want to stop this, let me know. Please."  
  
"I will." She promised.  
  
Feeling that it might finally be _her_ turn to venture into the beyond, and to leave Link behind the threshold of safety, Ilia leaned in close and wrapped her arms around him - doing her best to mimic the arm-crushing hugs he'd left in his wake.  
  
He squeezed her back gratefully... wondering which dark fragments of her past they'd soon come to discover.  
  
"Ashei?" Shad prompted, taking the warrior's attention away from the window.  
  
_"What?_ ... Yeah. I'm good. Sooner, the better." After busying herself with measures such as cramming sheets under the door and pulling the curtains shut in an effort to reduce any noise, the warrior joined them once again on the floor.  
  
She arched slightly in the dim light, poised to get up at a moment's notice.  
  
"Indeed..." Shad sighed.  
  
"... Which brings us to you, Ilia? Remember what we talked about. Should you give us any indication that you aren't coping, I will attempt to bring you back to the place that we talked about."  
  
"I'm ready as I'll ever be." She nodded.  
  
Then suddenly, the scholar felt all of the eyes in the room on him.  
  
And it was his turn to pause.  
  
Not a soul in the room could've earnestly asked him if he were ready for something like this. How _could_ he be? Months of care and trust were about to be undone by his own clumsy hands, the ones he'd only ever used to support Ilia when she needed it most.  
  
In a moment of light-headedness, he'd wondered if he actually were lost, and if there were somebody _else_ inside of him - pulling the strings leading up to this moment.  
  
But what ended up grounding him were the others in the room.  
  
Ilia took his gaze with calm focus, looking stronger and more courageous than he could've ever recalled. Shad was immensely proud of the peaky girl who'd shown up what seemed like ages ago, emaciated and completely covered in bruises, only to come out of it fighting - and never letting the terror so much as _scratch_ her caring personality.  
  
Next to her was Link, whose brave optimism seemed to be frozen in time - tightening the hold over his emotions so that they couldn't escape into the room. Asking this of Ilia had undoubtedly fractured his values... and he wore the face of a man who was bound by duty.  
  
Shad's objectivity had come at a steep price but he'd been more than willing to pay it on behalf of the younger man.  
  
And then there was Ashei, who looked strangely vulnerable and rather out of her element for the first time. She'd decided to throw her lot in with the strange group and took a moment to scan Shad with her eyes, wondering at the scholar's aptitude for such an awful position.  
  
_'I will do it... for them. For all of us.'_  
  
"Alright." He breathed.  
  
"Close your eyes, Ilia. I'd like you to try and recall this image as I describe it to you. You are looking at a single, open eye, staring directly ahead... with three sharp triangles in the place of its lashes. And the bottom lid is swooping downward, into the form of a tear..."  
  
"Hmm..." Ilia stirred, as her eyebrows began to knot slightly.  
  
"If you could hold out your hand, you may trace the image for yourself."  
  
Shad placed the book of the Sheikah under the younger girl's fingertips with trepidation, unaware of the fact that he'd held his breath as he did so.  
  
"... I can... see it." She murmured quietly, running her hand gently over the imprint of the cover.  
  
"Good. Most excellent. You're doing very well. Tell me then, how does this make you... feel?"  
  
Link and Ashei turned to Ilia in unison, as though their attention were caught in the grip of some fascinating duel.  
  
"I... I, _uh..."_  
  
She took a shaky breath before she'd paused to describe the sensations.  
  
"... I feel... like... like there's pins and needles in my _hands..._ and in my face. My legs are heavy - like stones at the bottom of the river - and it feels like... the air around me is on fire... like I'll be burned, if I move."  
  
Ilia bit onto her bottom lip, scrunching her face up in fear.  
  
"Ah, y-yes!" Shad intervened, doing his best to maintain a steady tone of voice.  
  
"These are all perfectly valid feelings. But Ilia... you _must_ try to understand that this is all they are. These sensations alone don't mean to cause you harm - you are simply _revisiting_ them as you recall the moment in which they occurred. And you may leave at any time. Could you please repeat what I said back to me?"  
  
"I'm... revisiting this... moment."  
  
"And you can leave at any time."  
  
"And I can..."  
  
Whether it had happened out of confusion or a false sense of security, Ilia opened her eyes to the stark, blood-red image of the Eye emblazoned upon the cover of the book, held out by the scholar's hands.  
  
And then all at once, the peace shattered.  
  
"AGH...!"  
  
Turning away - as though she were about to be sick - Ilia gripped onto her forehead with one hand, as the other scratched hard into the floor. Shad fell forward to steady her once again, throwing the book aside to hold her in place.  
  
_"Ilia...!_ Please, listen to me! Ilia, you are back home... in the Ordon Springs, surrounded by light and flowing water-"  
  
The image of Link's body, face-down in the springs flashed once again in her mind.  
  
What had once been a place of healing and escape from the burdens of town had turned into a nightmare - as the powerless girl watched her friend bleeding out into the crystal waters - thrashing at first, before he inhaled that terrible mixture of blood and water.  
  
"Damnit, this isn't working..." Ashei's voice cut through, sounding distorted under the blanket of fear Ilia's cognition had unleashed upon her.  
  
"Hey, Ilia! It's me! Can you hear me?!" Link called out after her.  
  
"... Ilia...?"

* * *

"... Oh, you poor dear."  
  
Ilia's eyes opened to the sight of a much older woman who stared up at her with forlorn, hooded eyes. She was much smaller in stature and wore a simple garb, not unlike the modest clothing back in Ordon Village, signifying her rural status.  
  
"We found her on the trail, just on the outskirts of town." An older man's voice had said from behind.  
  
"Looks like she's had a run-in with that traveling pack of Bulblins. Those ones with the big leader." Another interjected.  
  
"Don't know how a girl like this could've escaped though, she's tiny."  
  
Ilia was pulled into the moment by the dryness of her mouth - noticing that the rest of her throat was parched dry from a lack of water - and a chasm in her stomach that gnawed into the rest of her aching body. For whatever reason, she'd refused to eat anything for days, and was now entering into a state of delirium, having used whatever meagre energy was left to escape.  
  
Her trembling fingers, heavily laden with dirt under the nails, had scratched hard against the redness of her neck - feeling as though some kind of weight had been recently lifted from that area.  
  
"Well, let's not waste any time then. Bring her inside and I'll see about finding some medicine for her."  
  
"... Elder Impaz, are you sure that... erm... an _outsider_ like this won't cause us any trouble?"  
  
The tranquil aura of the older lady was immediately broken by the glare she wielded as she turned around, chastising the younger man for his rudeness.  
  
"Solke, you would shame us all with your inhumanity! Where is your sense of honour? What if it were one of your daughters on the outskirts of that Hylian city... would you expect them to throw her to the wolves, like savages?"  
  
"N-No, ma'am..." the older man bowed, averting his gaze. "Even _if_ the Royal Family's forgotten about us..."  
  
"Come this way, child. I'm not going to hurt you."  
  
"Wh... what is this place?" She'd asked, in a voice that felt very much unlike her own.  
  
"Oh, nowhere special I'm afraid." The older woman responded with a kind smile. "Just a lonely village in the mountains. Nobody tends to come this way anymore - you're quite lucky to have found us here."  
  
Ilia let her tired legs carry her through the dusty town, which looked to be in a state of disrepair - perhaps without the blessings of lush fields and abundant rivers to keep it independently sustained.  
  
At the very end of the corridor of buildings was a house that looked sturdier than any other in the village. And although it'd felt her first time seeing it... some part of her now realised, that this was a key place in the fog of memories she now traversed.  
  
_This_ was the place she most needed to remember.  
  
Yes, she affirmed.  
  
_'Here it is... here's where everything... really went wrong...'  
_

* * *

"Oh good heavens, no! _Not again...!_ What an utter catastrophe..." Shad fretted, grabbing bundles of his hair.  
  
"Hey, wait... put her down. And stop panicking." Ashei instructed. "She doesn't look like she's in any pain, yeah? And her eyes... they're moving around, like she's dreaming."  
  
The two older members of the Resistance had been pacing around the room as they spoke, before Shad stopped himself from scooping the younger lady up off the floor.  
  
All the while, the swordsman hadn't budged from her side - brushing her hair out of the way gingerly, with his fingers.  
  
"... Li... Link..." Ilia stirred.  
  
Shad's gaze flickered down at him with surprise and the hero felt himself blushing, in spite of the terrible situation at hand.  
  
"Was she doing that last time?" The warrior asked.  
  
"Er... well, come to think of it, no. She wasn't talking at all." Shad blinked upon realisation. "B-But this cannot be good either! What ever am I going to _do?_ The safe memory we established didn't _work!"  
  
_ Wishing he could've had some of that steely personality for himself, the scholar gripped onto his friend - his eyes wide with alarm.  
  
"Stop - _shaking_ \- me!" Ashei cried out in a startled voice, brushing him off. She could feel her heart beating in her ears as she tore herself away, refusing to let anyone else see her reaction.  
  
"Get a hold of yourself, Shad! You're an adult."  
  
"Ah... you're right. This situation calls for composure..." The scholar sighed.  
  
"... So... is this... all gonna be okay?" Link asked, looking up at the other two. He'd seemed far more baffled than afraid. "I mean, if she's not in any _pain_ and she's still conscious... she'll wake up eventually. Right?"  
  
"I think we should just watch and listen for now. No use getting our heads bitten off by Telma. We can still take her to the doctor after, if things seem weird."  
  
"Y-Yes. Good plan as always, Ashei..." Shad praised, massaging his temples as he spoke.  
  
Link readjusted the pillow beneath his friend as he watched over her, tuning out most of the arguing in the background.  
  
Ilia's hands, which had gone completely limp at one stage, were now curled delicately around the hem of his tunic as she muttered his name again - breaking out into a feverish sweat.  
  
"I'm here, now." He assured her, quietly.

* * *

"Link?" The older woman repeated.  
  
Ilia sat on the floor of the old cottage by a fireplace, nursing a bowl of soup in her hands. "Yes... he's out there somewhere, looking for me. I... saved him from something terrible. And I know he won't rest until I'm found. It would probably kill him... if I never make it back."  
  
"Ah, how courageous of him. But I'm sorry to tell you that I've never met anyone with that name before."  
  
"... Oh... that's alright." The Ordonian frowned, feeling some humanity returned to her for the first time in weeks.  
  
Sitting here and having a proper conversation with another person felt so jarring at this point, that she'd felt some irrational fear of waking up. There was no way she could go _back_ to those reptilian growls from before.  
  
"It looks like you could use a proper rest, dear. And we can heat some water up for you, if you'd like to take a bath."  
  
"I... I'm sorry, if I'm being rude... I never even asked for your name. What... did those men call you?" Ilia struggled, doing her best to stay present in the moment.  
  
"You can call me Impaz." The lady smiled.  
  
"My name is... Ilia..."  
  
Saying it now, she'd realised that her name had begun to feel like a _foreign_ word - as though Ilia were somebody else, who lived far away from here... with no concept of this desolate place or any of the strange people in it.  
  
Letting her eyes comb over the room, she'd then noticed a painting of a red eye, stretching wide across the ceiling. The older woman merely smiled in amusement and she took in the girl's startled reaction.  
  
"... Oh, it might look scary to you but there's nothing to fear. It's the Eye of Truth." She'd laughed, as though it were the most normal thing in the world.  
  
"We used to serve the Royal Family, a very long time ago."  
  
"... The Royal Family... You mean... like Princess Zelda?" Ilia recalled after having heard that name back at home - from Rusl - whose son she'd paid the price for freeing.  
  
"Yes. This poor village is a haven for all who remain. We are the descendants of the Sheikah."  
  
And then, the rest of the evening began to slip by, like a blur.  
  
The dizzying levels of exhaustion in her body - which felt like a prison of pain - were slowly countered by the few bites of bread she'd managed to get down. The wounds on her legs had been cleared of dirt for the first time in weeks, allowing them to finally breathe. And then, she'd found herself marvelling at the softness of the pillow and sheets on the floor, running her hands over the strange textures as she stared up at the ceiling.  
  
The Eye stared right back down at her, leaving a shadowed imprint on the other side of her lids as she closed her eyes.

* * *

A gentle rap on the door had immediately sent a jolt of adrenaline into the study group, who'd all stared at each other from across the room, united in their panic.  
  
The scholar, ever the first to overreact, slumped dramatically onto the floor and draped his hand over his face - fearing all of the possible ways he might be destroyed by Telma for so blatantly disregarding her rules.  
  
"This is the end." He'd muttered to no one in particular.  
  
Meanwhile, Link - who'd refused to move - mouthed a couple of words to their most capable partner, Ashei. The warrior nodded before she walked over to the door, calmly collecting herself before she would engage with the intruder.  
  
She'd known that showing any signs of fear at this stage would blow their cover, and that if she could perhaps hold a _normal_ conversation, it just might be enough to send the person away...  
  
"... Auru?" She'd hissed, after prying the door open a scant couple of centimetres. "... What are you _doing_ here? Can't it wait til later?"  
  
"Telma suspects that something nefarious might be underway in the study." The wiser man informed them, in a low voice. "I'd say you've all got ten minutes or so until she places _me_ behind the bar and comes up here to investigate it for herself."  
  
"... Ugh... For Din's sake Auru, what the hell does she think could be happening in here? Tell her we're... reading. Not anything to do with our operations - _obviously."_  
  
"Reading? In this awfully lit room?"  
  
To make matters worse, Link and Shad had already started their own ruse in the background, awkwardly shuffling around to the illusion of a ballroom dance at the scholar's insistence.  
  
The warrior brought her hand to her forehead, suppressing the urge to turn around and wring their necks in front of their colleague.  
  
"Come on now, Ashei. Lying was never one of your strong suits." Auru scolded, shaking his head.  
  
"Well, how would _you_ know what's going on, old man?" She'd questioned with narrowed eyes, turning the tables back against him. "It's not like you have any proof of anything."  
  
"... I'm not one to boast about the good old days... but I served as a spy, during the war. A rather successful one, I might add. And your operation is not quite as _indiscernible_ as you'd like to believe."  
  
The warrior tolerated his presence rigidly, a little impressed as she'd asked "... What'd you mean?"  
  
"For starters, you and Ilia had that private discussion this morning, followed by some sort of argument upstairs... and then the _four_ of you left on suspiciously good terms, while keeping quiet for the rest of the day. I don't think we've ever known such peace with everyone back at base. "  
  
Ashei had opened the door to the point where her expression was now entirely visible, failing to reign in the look of surprise on her face. "... Damn it! I knew I should've locked that weasel up when I had the chance."  
  
"Most importantly, this all seems to have happened in lieu of our new rule - that Ilia is to be kept _out_ of earshot of any talks involving the war. But if I had to guess, I'd say that her memories hold something important for you, no? ... Is that close?"  
  
"Remind me again, how we got you on board?" She sighed, raising an eyebrow at him.  
  
Auru merely smirked and folded his arms in response. "I cannot oppose this meeting of yours, given the little information I currently possess." He conceded. "But I do feel that if you were to support such a thing, Ashei, there must be some sound reason in it. That is why I've come to warn you. After all, what kind of spy would I be if I were not aware of such things?"  
  
Struck speechless for a moment, the warrior looked over her shoulder in the dark, towards the pillow where Ilia rested... noticing how tightly she'd now gripped onto Link and Shad in each hand.  
  
Then Ashei turned to face Auru once more, resolute in her decision to protect them until the younger girl was out of the woods.  
  
"... We need more time. Can you stall Telma for us? Please?" She'd murmured quietly. "I'll... owe you one. But right now, it's really important that we're _not_ interrupted. I can explain later but-"  
  
A voice rang out from downstairs which very much sounded like the proprietress - summoning the _actual_ spy she'd sent their way to gather information.  
  
"Stall her? My, even I couldn't keep such a woman away from the person of her concern." The older man admitted, beginning to look a little sheepish.  
  
Ashei wracked her head for a solution, asking herself what might feasibly work to delay the barkeeper.  
  
"Look you're a... gentleman, right? Talk to her about... her _hair,_ or something. Tell her it looks really good when she wears her locks out. And she got those new earrings recently - compliment those. Come on, she's not over the hill yet and she loves hearing that type of stuff, yeah?"  
  
"... I can... give it a shot, I suppose. I certainly can't make any promises as to its effectiveness but..."  
  
"Well, Auru... What kind of spy would you _be?"_ She'd answered dryly, throwing his own words back at him before she'd slammed the door shut. "As if this couldn't get any worse. We've got a problem."  
  
The remaining three were huddled together closely on the floor, with the two men propping Ilia into a sitting position as they spoke to her.  
  
"Ilia, it's _me..._ we're all here in town - with Link..." Shad soothed her.  
  
Link glanced agitatedly between him and Ilia, more grateful than ever that the scholar was here to share the weight of his concern.

* * *

The faint smell of smoke had crept into the cottage under the front door, rousing Ilia from her sleep.  
  
After a brief second of disorientation, she'd shot upright - pushing the comfort of the blankets away - before dashing over to the window and peering outside. Her instincts had told her to keep hidden as she did so, perhaps already knowing what was about to happen.  
  
Her eyes widened in abject horror as she took in the sight of the village under attack, its furthest buildings now thoroughly consumed with flame. The shrieking cries of the monsters cut through the walls, along with sounds that most likely belonged to the remaining citizens.  
  
Arrows whistled through the air as they glanced off the roof of the house and embedded themselves into the dirt.  
  
"Oh, there you are! Ilia..."  
  
The pale girl turned around to face Impaz, who'd met her bleary gaze with untapped sadness.  
  
"They're here." She'd trembled. "They're _here,_ Impaz. They probably came looking for me...! Goddesses, this is _all my fault...! I led them here!"  
_  
Ilia saw herself crash onto the floor, reliving that terrible moment, as she hyperventilated - choking for air and crying messily into her hands.  
  
The young girl who'd never left her village couldn't have imagined a worse existence than running from these monsters, forever. After having survived so much, it seemed like the nightmare would never end... and _now,_ she had the blood of an entire village on her hands.  
  
It was too much.  
  
She'd known then, that she'd reached the end of her limit.  
  
_'None of this is really happening...'_ She'd told herself, harshly. 'I'm not really Ilia... _I'm not...'  
_  
"Shhh. You can't blame yourself for this, dear..." Impaz had said, almost knowingly. "An attack like this was always bound to happen. Hyrule has only gotten more dangerous over time... and with so few people left to defend the village, well..."  
  
The shaken girl stared back at her through her fingers, too frightened to move.  
  
_"... They can't catch me again."_ She whispered.  
  
"No. You can't stay here anymore, it's far too dangerous."  
  
The younger girl was now only barely aware of what was happening, feeling herself be led away from the smoke and screams that had all but perforated the home.  
  
She'd descended into the cellar with the help of the mysterious older woman, who'd pressed something into her hands, saying something along the lines of it bringing her luck and keeping her safe.  
  
"There are many hidden passages in these mountains." Impaz remarked. "But this one will take you out into the fields, just north of Hyrule Castle Town. You'll be welcomed there with open arms - if you can make the rest of the journey."  
  
"What about you?" Ilia gasped, looking back at her fearfully. "I can't just... _leave_ you in this place...! The monsters-"  
  
"Don't you worry about that, I'll be safe here." She'd promised. "You see, I'm bound by Royal decree to stay in this village... and I cannot leave until I've met with the Messenger of the Heavens."  
  
"... Impaz..."  
  
The younger girl sniffed loudly, knowing that if she were to survive, then she'd have to have to pull herself together _one more_ time.  
  
She would have to be brave... just like Link.  
  
"Thank you so much, Impaz... I... won't forget you."

* * *

Ilia's eyes flew open as she gasped for air - feeling as though she'd suddenly emerged from the bottom of the lake.  
  
She'd grown vaguely aware of the feeling of water on her face, perhaps from where someone might've splashed her earlier, and soon felt herself immersed in the scents of _home..._ or at least, something that exuded an aroma very much like home.  
  
It was like hay... intermingled with the essence of the forest.  
  
"... You're back!!" Link exclaimed, his eyes overflowing with relief.  
  
"She's back! Everyone, she's awake!"  
  
The disoriented girl found herself curled up in his lap, her hands now full of something soft, which appeared to be his leaf-green hat.  
  
"Great Goddesses, Ilia...! You gave us quite the turn. I was beginning to fear that we'd made a terrible mistake..." Shad breathed next to them, removing his glasses to rub his eyes.  
  
"I am most eternally sorry, my dear. We should _never_ have done this without testing your limits, first..."  
  
In a manner that would've very much resembled one of the drunken patrons downstairs, she pried herself away from the swordsman and sat upright on her own accord. In all their years of friendship, she'd never recalled hanging onto him _this_ closely for such a long period of time - and was a little unnerved at just how warm and reassuring it had felt.  
  
"... Thank you, Link." She murmured, handing his hat back to him carefully.  
  
"Um... don't mention it." He'd replied, gripping onto the back of his neck with some newfound nervousness.  
  
Shad, Link and Ilia looked to one another in a moment of silence, before they breathed a collective sigh of relief.  
  
And then, seemingly out of nowhere, the trio fell towards each other on the floor. They'd bundled together into a tight embrace, with Ilia occupying the small space between Link and Shad - whose hands met as they'd held on, unabashedly.  
  
"Well... not to be rude, but thank fuck for _that."_ Ashei interrupted from nearby, folding her arms.  
  
"... Ashei. Get over here." Link said firmly. His voice was somewhat muffled by the clothing on Shad's arm.  
  
"... What? Ohh, no."  
  
The warrior blinked wildly and frowned, casting a look over her shoulder as though the door were about to break open at any moment. "I, uh... I don't _hug people."_ She'd protested, flatly.  
  
"A lie, if I ever did hear one. You seem to have no problem hugging Telma." Shad argued, not bothering to open his eyes at her.  
  
"Fine. I don't hug people, sober."  
  
"... How sober are you, at nine o'clock in the morning?"  
  
"Oh for... if it'll _shut you up."_ Ashei scowled. The armoured girl slipped in close, giving the awkward group a rough squeeze before she pulled away and coughed loudly - evading Link's attempts to trap her in there.  
  
"Wait a second - Shad!" Ilia suddenly gasped, breaking the group apart.  
  
The scholar blushed as he regarded her, glowing brightly from the connection he'd felt to everyone in the room.  
  
"Wh-What is it?"  
  
"Get one of your notebooks out! Quickly! We need to write some stuff down."


	18. Thick as Thieves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Telma is less than impressed with the more meddlesome faction of the Resistance and seeks to discover the truth.
> 
> Meanwhile, the clock is ticking and Link must acquire the Sheikah statue from a past adversary before Ilia can point him in the right direction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: /Wipes the blackboard back to "0 Days Since Our Last Nonsense"
> 
> We'll be wrapping things up for the next story arc. At the moment I'm projecting around 26-28 chapters? But who knows! :)

**Chapter 18 - Thick as Thieves**  
  
The following morning was calm like any other, with the usual host of citizens making their daily commute on the streets outside. And the bar itself had seemed to echo this image of normality until one realised just _how_ quiet it'd remained some hours after the sun had risen.  
  
... This had only confirmed Telma's suspicions that something else was unravelling in her midst.  
  
After setting a morning coffee and the daily newspaper down in front of Rusl, the veteran bartender met his thanks with a subtle frown.  
  
"Is... something the matter, my friend?" He'd asked, feeling mildly perturbed at the uncommon occurrence.  
  
"... Kids!" Telma exclaimed. She threw her hands up for a second and then shook her head. "How do _you_ deal with them, honey? I try to give people their freedom and trust them to do the right thing. But as soon as I put rules into place, it feels like all they want to _do_ is burn their fingers on the stove. Have I been too laidback all this time? ... Or maybe I waited too long before putting boundaries into place!"  
  
The older swordsman chuckled heartily at her, knowing immediately who was involved and wondering what _exactly_ they'd done to invoke such a response.  
  
"I think it does young people a lot of good to learn things for themselves. You can stand there and tell them what to do all day... but it's not the same as _letting_ them have a go, whether they fail or succeed."  
  
"... So, your advice is to hold off and do nothing?" Telma frowned again, lowering her eyebrows with scepticism. "Well, not to sound _too_ bold honey but you must have the best behaved son in the world."  
  
"Oh, that is hardly the case! Though, something tells me that I'm in for a very rebellious teenager..." He'd conceded, clearing his throat.  
  
"Allow me to amend my advice then, in light of all the facts. We had _quite_ the incident at home just before I left... one of the children ran into the forest thinking that they were capable of defending themselves. In a situation like that, when you can recognise somebody acting well beyond his or her limits, it's important to intervene. But with age comes knowledge... and practice. We were fortunate to have Link with us, that day."  
  
"They have experience enough between them... but still I worry about Ilia, honey. I get the feeling that I'm missing something _important._ And I have a responsibility to her as her guardian." The proprietress sighed, wondering how her younger and more impulsive self might've interpreted her actions today.  
  
Rusl met her frustration with a smile that betrayed most of the lines in his face.  
  
"Telma, I think you've made helpful choices. This change of scenery has been beneficial to Ilia's growth - she no longer sees the outside world as a source of fear or pain. And with Shad and Link's support, she seems more herself now than you might've guessed possible in the beginning. You should trust in that, I think."  
  
"... I tell you what though, I'm _still_ gonna get to the bottom of what happened last night." She decided, perching one of her hands onto her hip. "How am I meant to help anyone in this place unless I know what's going on?"  
  
As if on cue, the front door chimed opened to reveal Shad, Ilia and Link - the latter of which appeared to have been recently drenched from head to toe.  
  
Though the morning sun had evaporated most of the water from his tunic, the swordsman's hair still clung to his face in dark, golden bundles. And although he were _too_ polite to say so, Shad noticed that the younger man had begun to smell like a mixture between a city drain and a swamp.  
  
"You're back!" Telma beamed at them, immediately changing gears from her conversation with Rusl. "Did you all go for a nice walk outside this morning?"  
  
The three hastily mirrored her enthusiasm, smiling back in return. They'd made an effort to slip out undetected before the dawn so as to _avoid_ any questions from the proprietress... who clearly had them cornered now.  
  
"Oh - yeah! We went out to pick up supplies." Link grinned at her.  
  
In truth, they'd just returned from the moat outside of the city; having spent the last couple of hours scoping it out for any sign of the wooden statue Ilia had taken with her into the city. But unfortunately, their search had returned them to the bar empty-handed...  
  
"How practical of you! You three ought to be joined by the wrist, spending so much time together like this."  
  
As though to warn the young hero of what was to come, Rusl packed the entirety of his morning ritual up off the desk and walked past the group to retire upstairs.  
  
And then suddenly, Telma's tone changed into one that was _not_ to be trifled with.  
  
"Now... I'd like all of you to sit down, please."  
  
Around this time Ashei had brushed silently past Rusl on the stairs, who'd kept her position secret with a wink. She then noticed the trio gathered together in what appeared to be an interrogation set-up... and turned on her heel, resolving to ditch the tavern via the window in her room instead. But then, Telma followed Link's eyes over her shoulder.

"... Ashei, honey? Would you come down here for moment?" She'd called out.  
  
The warrior scowled, unable to recall a time in recent memory where she'd actually gotten into _trouble_ like this.   
  
"Yes, Telma..." She sighed begrudgingly, descending the stairs to pull up a chair. After a moment's hesitation, she then turned her head towards Link and scrunched up her face in disgust. "... Whoa. You smell like the _gutter."_  
  
"Uh, really? I don't know what you mean." He shrugged, shooting a wide-eyed look at the blunt girl and then tilting his head sideways towards Telma.  
  
"Now...! I'd like to get to the bottom of what happened last night." The proprietress interrupted, scanning over the group up with a stern gaze.  
  
Link snapped his attention forward. "W-What?"  
  
"An evening of frivolity, if I may be so bold...!" Shad laughed, cutting in over the top. "Can you believe that not one of these simple country-people ever learned how to dance? Why, I thought, this simply must not do."  
  
Ilia frowned at the scholar, kicking his chair leg in protest at his unfortunate choice of words. He flinched a little at the look on her face in return.  
  
"I might be getting _on_ in my years, honey, but you can't pull one over me in my own tavern. You think I don't know what a man flirting under duress looks like?"  
  
"Nice going, Auru." Ashei rolled her eyes.  
  
"Let's start with you, honey... I think you seem the most likely to tell the truth." Telma said with a calmer voice, turning to address Ilia.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
Admittedly, the younger girl had found herself out of sorts from having her integrity put on the spot for the first time.  
  
"W-well... you see, Telma... I didn't want to make things harder for you than I already have by _being_ here. You already do so much and I couldn't ask you for anything more. So I went to Link and Shad for help-"  
  
The scholar bit onto his lip in panic, shielding his eyes from the impassioned woman.  
  
"Telma, it was all me! I... did it!" Link interrupted suddenly.  
  
"Did what, exactly?"  
  
The proprietress moved in front of him, folding her arms and raising an eyebrow.  
  
"I need some straight answers here, young man."  
  
"The truth is _I_ asked them to help me get my memories back... so we set off my shut-down response last night, on purpose." Ilia confessed. "But... you need to understand that I _made_ them do it. So please, don't be mad at them!"  
  
Telma looked back at her with an unusually shocked expression, leaving the young barmaid to wonder whether she'd been burned more so than rattled by this piece of information. And then, the lioness came out.  
  
"... You went and did this after I specifically asked _you NOT to?"_ She thundered, throwing her fury towards Shad. The scholar winced, feeling unable to defend himself. "Ilia, what if you'd hurt yourself, honey? Do you have any idea what position this would put me in with your family? You've got a father back at home who loves you!"  
  
"I... I know."  
  
"And there are others this could've affected too. This whole war situation is shooting Rusl's hairline upwards with stress - he can't even _be_ with his family right now because of all the problems out here...!"  
  
Her complaints were met with conquered silence as the group took in the weight of their actions. Though Link had dwelled upon these repercussions with Midna, it certainly hadn't made it any easier to be confronted with them now.  
  
"Hey, pretty lady! What do _you_ have to say about this?" Telma questioned, now turning her attention to the warrior. "I would've expected you to be the responsible one here! You've normally got quite the head on your shoulders."  
  
"... I... uh, _apologise."_ Ashei muttered awkwardly in response. "I just didn't want... look... Shad's in a difficult position, so I-"  
  
"She told us not to do it!" Ilia defended. "Nobody else wanted this to happen, Telma. It was all me. And I'm... _really_ sorry, if I ended up hurting you, or anyone else instead... I didn't want to make anyone worry anymore and I can see now, that I've done it _again..."_  
  
Feeling her composure shatter, the younger girl sniffed loudly and felt her eyes spilling over with tears.  
  
"Oh, no honey. I didn't mean to upset you..." The proprietress said, as she buckled under the guilt. She swooped in immediately and pulled the younger girl into a hug that nearly lifted the chair up along with it.  
  
Link, Shad and Ashei began to avert their attention in response, feeling that this was a conversation they were no longer part of.  
  
"... I've made a mess of things, haven't I? And right now, you probably need our support more than ever... I should've spent more time listening to you and your needs. I'm so sorry, Ilia honey."  
  
"It's not your fault Telma, I... should've been honest with you." Ilia sniffed into her shirt.  
  
As the moment passed and the fierce woman released her, the scholar stood up from his chair and cleared his throat - steeling himself for the fallout of his following words.  
  
"Telma, I believe I owe you a rather large apology, as well." He began. "I understand that my word is my bond... and that I tactlessly broke it when I volunteered to put Ilia through that ordeal last night. And I'll understand wholeheartedly if you'd like me to leave. I can take up a different job in the city somewhere, and get my apartment back... if you could but grant me a couple of days-"  
  
"You're not going anywhere, Shad." The proprietress cut in decidedly, catching him off-guard. "You're far too kind, hard-working and important to this cause. And I still count you as a friend, honey. But as caretaker of our little organisation... I can't just let this incident go un-punished."  
  
"P-Punishment?" Shad paled.  
  
The entire group looked startled at once, wondering what this could possibly entail.  
  
"Yes..." Telma replied ominously as she reached under the counter.  
  
"... The _crowbar?!"_ Link gasped.  
  
He'd been transported back to his first night here, recalling the intimidating figure that the proprietress had cut against the kitchen lights as she assessed him. Something about her _really_ conveyed the fact that she'd been in more than her fair share of bar fights.  
  
But then suddenly, Telma slammed a piece of paper onto the table in front of them - causing Shad to jump a little on the spot.  
  
"Alright, everyone! Here is a list of all the outstanding cleaning jobs and maintenance issues for the bar. I'll give you all a week to get on top of it... otherwise, I'll come up with something even _more_ challenging." She winked at them.  
  
"... All of us? Even the ones who thought it was dumb?" Ashei enquired. Nobody had dared to discipline the young warrior in years, and even when this had happened, it usually amounted to running extra laps up the stairs near her house with buckets of water. In fact, she'd _wished_ that it could've been buckets of water.  
  
"Yes, honey. You kids need to understand that your actions affect more than just yourselves - there's a whole team of people around you. So, it's time for you to pay us back in thoughtfulness, alright?"  
  
Link grabbed the list and nodded firmly. "I'll get as much as I can done this afternoon!" He promised. "There's still... uh, some urgent stuff for me to do. So the less time this takes, the better."  
  
"I'll be happy with whatever you can manage today, Link honey. There's a lot on your plate right now. Besides... I can always call you back here later. With a face like that, you'll boost my sales." Telma flirted at him.  
  
"Hey! That's unfair! The rest of us have work to do, as well."  
  
"Please just let it _go,_ Ashei..." Shad implored. "And thank you, Telma. We shall make this up to you in the fullest."  
  
"... I'll get better at sharing my feelings, too. So nothing like this happens again." Ilia nodded.  
  
"That's what I like to hear."

* * *

After being asked _nicely_ by Ilia whether he'd wanted to take a shower and then offered a spare change of clothes by Shad - who hadn't foreseen just how much strain one of his shirts might've taken around the biceps - Link had taken to dusting along the upper shelves of the bar.  
  
All the while he'd been hoisted up easily onto Ashei's shoulders, who held his legs into place with her hands. She had been just as eager to start on the jobs, as she'd felt pleased to be converting them into some form of resistance training.  
  
Though it made Link nervous to be sitting on somebody who clearly valued their personal space, it seemed that Ashei was entirely unfazed in this circumstance. He'd found himself quietly wondering what was different about it here - and whether removing any _vulnerability_ from the equation had made it easier on her, somehow.  
  
"Won't be too long now until you disappear again, huh?" She'd asked, glancing upwards at the not-too-heavy swordsman.  
  
"Ah, yeah..." He agreed - welcoming her reprieve from the stress of this morning.  
  
Link knew that finding the wooden idol in the city after all this time was going to be like locating a needle in a haystack. And without it, Ilia had found herself unable to recall the exact location of the village she'd fled from... meaning that the Messenger of the Heavens would have to wait even longer to get there.  
  
"There's something me and Shad are working on fixing. That's the _real_ reason why I went through with Ilia's plan. We sort of need it to find... that final key fragment I spoke to you about..."  
  
The warrior sneezed lightly as some of the dust from the bottles rained down from the air.  
  
"Got the feeling you didn't just change your mind of your own volition."  
  
"... I never wanted to do that to her, Ashei. But in hindsight, I'm sort of glad that we did. She seems happier that we helped her and we got the information that we needed. So, I _think_ everything is... slowly coming together?"  
  
"Can't complain about that." She said nonchalantly, walking him further along the shelves. "And you'll be meeting with Shad later, yeah? Once he finally ditches this place."  
  
"That's the plan."  
  
Ashei gave a long and unreadable pause before she spoke again.  
  
"... Link."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Look after my friend... while you're out there?"  
  
The swordsman lowered the feather duster for a moment to look down at the guarded woman, who regarded him soberly, with eyes of the darkest amber.  
  
"Shad's brave enough and he can mostly take care of himself. But he's also not as _defensible_ as you, or me. And he has this habit of pulling off more than he can chew. I just don't want another incident like out in the snow - when I ran off chasing that creature."  
  
"Oh Goddesses, about all that stuff I said to you after... I'm really sorry-"  
  
"Don't be sorry about it." She snapped. "You were right, Link. I was reckless and I let my curiosity get the better of me. Exactly the type of mistake _he_ would make. Way back when I brought Shad that piece of the ruin, we had this weird conversation... about discovering the world and... I guess I just... _ugh."_  
  
The hero found himself smiling down at her, even as she shouldered his weight without so much as a strand of hair falling out of place.  
  
"Hey, it's alright to change things up, once in a while. Even if you make mistakes."  
  
"... So I'm discovering."  
  
Link wished that there were something - _anything_ he could've offered to her in return that would've compensated for her support with Ilia.  
  
But instead, all that came to him were the following words.  
  
"Also... you know I'd never let anything bad happen to Shad, right? I'd give whatever I had to protect him. Even if it ends up making my mission more difficult... or my bones get broken... it's fine." He promised.  
  
"I really like him, Ashei."  
  
She'd squeezed his leg in solidarity, finding herself unable to say the words... but feeling the truth of them resonating into the very core of her being. They were every bit as real as the man's love of the Sky. _  
_  
_'... Me too.'_  
  
Although Ashei had come to experience the strength that Shad, Link and Ilia had given to each other in this dark time, she'd also feared - on some intrinsic level - that it had left them all just as unguarded. And with the war still going on around them, it seemed _more_ than foolish and impractical to involve herself further with anyone.  
  
Before she could dwell too much on these thoughts, the warrior pressed on, eager to overcome the assignment ahead.  
  
"Just... don't pull Shad into anything stupid, yeah? But... I actually have faith in both of you. And by the time you get back here, I'll have something ready for that eyesore outside. You know, I can't wait to thrash whoever's responsible."  
  
"You're not put off by the crazy amount of dark magic it took to seize the castle?" Link teased, roughing her up lightly by squeezing his thighs.  
  
"Not a chance." She smirked at him.  
  
"Or the fact that the Shadow King gave me fleas?"  
  
But this joke was met with swift retribution, as Ashei dumped him without warning onto the floor. The few patrons in the bar stopped to raise their heads in the background, wondering what had caused their drinks to shudder so violently.  
  
_"Ow!!_ I meant - in my _other_ form - obviously...!"  
  
The swordsman nursed his elbow and looked up at the warrior with a flinching eye.  
  
"Can't be too careful around you. You're a mysterious guy, Link." She said, flashing a dangerous smile his way.   
  
"You know, those clothes don't look half bad on you. Oh and hey, I had another idea about that statue drama from this morning. Do you happen know to those Zoras down by the marketplace?"

* * *

Shad watched as Ilia hung up Link's tunic - which had been strangely resistant to the taint of the moat - on the small clothesline that extended from her window. She angled it generously beneath the sun's rays, taking the moment to scan the chimney-bricked horizon of the town.  
  
"... Ilia, it... won't be long now until I'll be going." He'd said nervously, after allowing her to enjoy the minute of peace. His eyes wandered about the room as he spoke, settling onto the mirror dresser which now sat uncovered near the bed.  
  
"Oh, I know. You'll be in Kakariko Village like you said before, right?"  
  
The bright girl turned away from the window and smiled at him, noticing the scholar's rather downtrodden expression at the news.  
  
"I'll be just fine here, Shad. It'll be back to business as usual for me, after today. Hopefully with the gift of proper sleep."  
  
He chuckled lightly and brought a hand to his face, unable to stop himself from uttering the following confession. "Well, _I_ am... sort of dreading it, to be honest. It's been quite some time since I left for an extended period. "  
  
"You'll do great out there, I think. You're adaptable, brave."  
  
The scholar had rehearsed this conversation earlier today - wondering how he could _ever_ convey the responsibility that he'd felt for Ilia's wellbeing. And after everything that had happened last night, it seemed that now might've been the very _worst_ time to be leaving.  
  
However... the conceitedness this train of thought had grown apparent to him now, burning away any of the coddling words he might've used. Instead, he asked, "... As brave as you?"  
  
Ilia blinked quickly in response to the question, finding it unusual for the scholar to be so blunt.  
  
"Ah, do forgive me once again." Shad smiled. "I've been meaning to tell you how... impressed I have been by your courage all these months, Ilia. You are truly an exceptional person. As much as it might be wrong for me to admit - I am so thankful that we had the chance to meet."  
  
"Shad."  
  
"If the circumstances had been better-"  
  
"Thank _you_ for everything, Shad." She insisted, lifting her hand to his shoulder.  
  
The scholar felt the world around him go still as Ilia squeezed onto him gently, holding his gaze with an assurance that had only strengthened over recent days.  
  
"You're one of the best people I've ever met... and, even better, you're just as kind, and willing to fight for others. I know how important your discovery of the Skies is. My only regret now is how much time I must've taken away from your dream. So... for all of us, you should get out there and finish the job." She beamed.  
  
Unable to help himself, Shad then pulled the Ordonian girl into another warm embrace - one that carried all the familiarity of the struggles they'd faced together. He'd sincerely _hoped_ that there would be nothing more to fear now... though the road to recovery would forever be fraught with challenges.  
  
But in spite of this, he'd known that what mattered most to Ilia in this moment was his confidence in her ability to heal.  
  
After everything that had happened...  
  
It was finally time for him to take a step back.  
  
"Maybe you'll get the college you always wanted once this is all over?" She'd said amusedly against the flat of his chest, recalling one of the earlier conversations they'd had.  
  
"Ah, I'm afraid I'm still a long ways to go in that regard." The scholar smiled, mirroring her optimism. "But I will treasure your support... as always, my dear."

* * *

The twilight sun had faded away not long before Link burst into the study once again - back in his regular clothing, and with eyes that were wild with purpose. Evidently, he was no longer afraid of tearing Shad away from his work in order to seek help... though it hadn't lessened the scholar's astonishment at being graced with his presence.  
  
"I found it." Link had said, as the corner of his mouth hardened into a frown.  
  
"You found... the _statue?_ And cleaned out the bar, in a single afternoon?" The scholar nearly fell out of his reading chair upon hearing the news.  
  
"Yes! Sort of. It got washed away into one of the connecting channels, caught in a fishing net and then pawned off at the curiosity shop... but now it's in the hands of uh, someone _else."  
_  
"I... gather that this isn't such positive news, from the look on your face."  
  
The hero hesitantly took a seat at a nearby desk, all but confirming the scholar's suspicions.  
  
"... On my first night here, when the bar was closed... I ran into this really _old doctor_. He was super rude and stormed out instead of helping Prince Ralis... and after that, was when I escorted Telma and Ilia to Kakariko. Everyone talks about how dangerous it was but I never would've done it if he'd been able to receive treatment here! ... And _he's_ got the statue!"  
  
Shad's eyes had locked onto Link's in a second, struck with the same sense of impassioned anger.  
  
"The very same?"  
  
He then _snapped_ the book in his grasp shut.  
  
"Old boy, I must tell you about his shocking ineptitude when we enlisted his help for Ilia - on the very morning that she arrived. He dismissed her case entirely! Said that there was nothing he could do and stormed out, without a second thought for her wellbeing."  
  
Link broke his connection from the scholar as he glowered at the desk, racking his brain for some semblance of reason. "... Wow. No offense, Shad but some of the people who live around here are... kind of _terrible?_ I really lucked out in Ordon Village."  
  
"I believe you are preaching to the choir." The scholar sighed, shaking his head despondently. "Ah, but yes! You believe that this very doctor has custody of the idol Ilia brought with her?"  
  
"I... followed the trail across town. It's definitely there."   
  
A brief pause followed before the swordsman pitched his idea, hoping that his friend might have a better one up his folded sleeves. "So, I was thinking... I was gonna go around tonight and ask for it back. Offer him rupees or whatever. But I think it'd go a lot better if you came with me, Shad...? You're good at talking to people."  
  
Shad blushed lightly at the compliment; trying not to think of all the times he might've faltered in manner around the younger man.  
  
"... I-I am flattered that you think so. However, I may prove myself to be useless if an argument arises. Certainly this isn't a physical adversary but I do wonder if perhaps a little bit of... _intimidation_ might come in handy? Considering who we are dealing with..."  
  
The two men looked to each other again, without a moment's pause, as they arrived at the same conclusion.  
  
"Ashei." They'd said at once, before getting up to scope out the bar.

* * *

"You filthy thugs can't intimidate me!" The doctor barked at the unscrupulous trio over his doorstep.  
  
After collecting the warrior, the group had followed one of the streets adjacent to the southern shopping strip, leading them over to the other side of town. The buildings out here were visibly older, and made more so of wood than brick.  
  
It hadn't taken long for Shad's attempts to be civil with the old man to go downhill. And much to everyone's surprise, he'd turned down their money just as quickly - as though he revelled in the idea of holding something that they wanted out of reach.  
  
"Who are YOU calling thugs, you _fraud?!"_ Ashei snarled, standing over him. She'd made sure to raise her voice so that everyone on the street could hear them. "You'd better give our friend her property back if you wanna keep that door on its hinges! It wasn't anyone else's to sell. Oh, and it's the _least_ you could do after turning your back on her when she lost her memory."  
  
"Losing her memory...? You don't mean...?"  
  
The old man adjusted his glasses, honing his insect-like eyes on Shad. "I thought you seemed familiar! You...! The man who dresses and perfumes himself like a lady - of all things!"  
  
"I beg your _pardon?!"_  
  
Ashei held the scholar back with a lazily extended arm, as he blushed an angry shade of pink under the eyes.  
  
"Bah! I'll make you an offer, then!" The doctor grumbled at Link... cutting to the chase of his priorities. "... I might be willing to part with the statue if you'd send that pretty girl over for a nice chat... and none of you are to bother us, either! She might've lost her memory but at least she isn't out here pretending to be a _man."_  
  
The warrior could've burst one of the veins in her forehead in rage as Link then moved in to restrain her.  
  
"This isn't doing you any favours, young lady. Don't you know that women are only half as strong...?" He chastised, moving his glasses around once more.  
  
"Uh, I'm afraid that deal won't be happening. Sorry." The swordsman apologised, before trying to drag the furious woman away to a side-alley.  
  
She thrashed around roughly in his grip, hissing at him to let her go - along with a variety of swear words he hadn't heard before. If Link weren't accustomed to wrangling Ordon's goats around, he might've needed the iron boots to keep her grounded.  
  
" _I won't - kill him - Link -_ just let me go... AGH!"  
  
"You, sir, make a mockery of the medical profession! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!" Shad rounded on the doctor, who barely looked up to engage him despite being the only person left on his doorstep.  
  
"And you may say whatever you like about me - and my choice of presentation - but you _will not_ _insult my friend..._ OR her capabilities! She is a far better human than you could ever hope to be-"  
  
The door slammed shut in the scholar's face, with an audible _'hmph!'_ sound coming from the other side.  
  
"Wow, I'm really sorry about that Ashei. What a jerk." Link mumbled, looking momentarily stunned.  
  
"... Eh, it happens." She'd deflated in his grasp - rolling her eyes as she slipped away. "People always judge me for my profession. What's new? ... I'm just glad Ilia won't have to deal with that creep."  
  
When Shad reconvened with the pair, they'd noticed that he was still incredibly flustered; with his auburn hair standing on-end like a cat and his sleeves rolled up further in anticipation of the conflict worsening.  
  
_"That complete and utter b-"_  
  
He stopped short, noticing that the other two were watching him closely.  
  
"Are you gonna say it?" Ashei smirked, baitedly.   
  
"Hey, I use that word all the time. Mostly when there's no one around, though." Link winked.  
  
"... I'm _quite sure_ you both get the gist." The scholar rebuffed them, now folding his arms in protest.  
  
After a brief pause, the hero then sighed heavily - now faced with the dilemma of having to think on his feet for a new plan. "Well, damn it... that didn't go so well. And it's not anyone's fault. He's just an unreasonable person."  
  
The group lingered in the silence of the dingy alley, combing their minds in unison for a method to recover the statue, which could've sat mere metres from them through the wall. As frustrating as this situation was, it might've been easier for them to simply send in a patient who could grab it when the doctor wasn't looking.  
  
But then, Link's thoughts were interrupted when something large and white brushed against his leg and meowed in the dark.  
  
"... Louise?"  
  
"Good gracious! What is she doing all the way out here?" Shad remarked.  
  
She meowed once more at Link - rather _insistently_ \- hinting that they needed to talk... if only he could do so in private. He looked to Ashei, who seemed to be glancing between him and the cat, wondering pre-emptively what he were about to ask.  
  
"Hey, do you... maybe need a minute alone? To sniff things out?"  
  
Link could've laughed with relief at having the warrior on board with his secret.  
  
"Alone? No offense, old boy, but what could Link possibly do to help this situation that we couldn't better solve _together?"_ The scholar questioned, clearly baffled by the new development. _  
_  
"Actually, Shad... I'm, uh...."  
  
_"For Nayru's sake,_ Shad. I'm trying to give him some privacy! He's still stressed out of his mind after the whole Ilia thing, can't you see that?"  
  
Though the scholar were taken by surprise at first, his expression softened, scrambling madly for an explanation as to _why_ he hadn't noticed such a thing. "... Of course, you must be. I... I'm terribly sorry, Link. I must have gotten too wrapped up in the moment."  
  
"It's... fine! Really." He smiled nervously in response - earning himself a warning glare off the warrior to act _more_ distraught at the state of events. "But, um, Ashei's right. I just need a bit of a break. I'll find you both again, if you just wanna wait around there?"  
  
Link gestured further down the road, where the footpath bent away into a faraway corner street.  
  
"Take all the time that you need, Link. We'll be waiting for you." Shad promised, as the two Resistance members parted ways from the hero and his new cat companion.  
  
The torches of the new neighbourhood had illuminated it far better than those in the secluded one they'd left behind - and it was here that the scholar had whipped out another notebook under the light, doing his best to put his anger over the previous situation behind him.  
  
His hands shook with resentment as he turned the page, catching the eye of the warrior whose fury was soon converted into amusement.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
Shad regarded Ashei properly over the paper, his brow furrowed and round glasses reflective of the night. It hadn't escaped his notice that her dark hair looked brilliant under the flames.  
  
"That doctor... he really was the worst, huh? But I don't think I've ever seen you get _that_ mad. Thanks for telling him off for me... yeah?"  
  
"Oh heavens, don't remind me!" He'd laughed with a note of exasperation. "If he'd been a younger man and I were willing to lower myself to his level, I might've engaged him in a round of fisticuffs..."  
  
The warrior soon found herself laughing as well, if only at the absurdity of the image.  
  
"You. Actually fighting someone for real? I'd pay to see that."  
  
"It is not _so_ out of the realm of possibilities." Shad defended, holding back an eye-roll. "Just because I don't happen to be an artist in the way of violence."  
  
"Hmm? Well, how'd you feel about giving it a shot now?" Ashei offered with a daring smirk.  
  
"You... I-I'm sorry, you... want me to fight you?"  
  
"Not seriously, there'd be nothing left of you." She'd laughed at him, brutally. "I mean... throw a couple of punches at me, blow off some steam. Why not? It'll make you feel better. You obviously can't concentrate right now."  
  
"... Ah... haha..."  
  
Much to the scholar's surprise, Ashei held out both of her hands and then adjusted her stance, ready to catch his fists.  
  
"Come on. Pretend it's the doctor. He doesn't care about abandoning patients or hoarding valuables that don't belong to him. Talking to him won't help... and he's got a _thing_ for Ilia. He's asking for it."  
  
"W-Well... I..." The scholar tucked the notebook away and slowly curled his hands into fists. He'd looked down at them unsurely before meeting his friend's gaze once again, feeling some type of heightened expectation from the accomplished woman.   
  
"Are you quite certain? Goddesses, hitting a woman is a whole other, well..."  
  
The glare he'd received nearly sent him flinching backwards.  
  
"It wouldn't be very... uh... sportsmanlike."  
  
"... I'm in a good mood at moment, Shad. So I'm gonna ignore that comment." The warrior said with a smile that chilled him down to his bones. "But you'd better do it now then, on three. Right?"  
  
"Uh, r-right... one... two...!"  
  
He struck forward on the third count - instantly caught in the metal of her gauntlets. After taking a second for the hit to register, the scholar recoiled backwards and then shielded the knuckles of his attacking hand, which now rang out loudly in pain.  
  
_"Ow!!"  
_  
"Oh... wow. You've never punched anybody before, have you?" Ashei said in a pitying tone.  
  
"... That was _not_ a lesson in my curriculum, no!" _  
  
_ "Well, we'll have to remedy that, won't we? It's the enemy that should fear your fist, not the other way around."  
  
Shad hissed quietly through his teeth, shaking his hand through the numbing sensation. "Dear Farore, when does the throbbing _stop?"_ He groaned. "Oh - _my_ \- it seems to finally be hurting less...!"  
  
The warrior regarded him thoughtfully, as she tossed up the probability of them waiting for some time. There was no sign of Link down the other end of the street and the fact that Shad was about to go out into the world without a proper strike to his name had made her _rather_ anxious.  
  
She took a deep breath and moved to his side, holding her hand out to take his own.  
  
"Here. Your fingers are all wrong, you've gotta do it this way... mind your thumb." She instructed, carefully repositioning his fingers.    
  
Shad gave his full attention as she did so, noticing how gentle Ashei could be when she wanted. He'd felt a little of that familiar light-headedness again - though this time, without the fear of being completely obliterated against the tavern wall.  
  
"And then, to _really_ hit it home, you can use your body to drive the punch in. You just have to step forward - like this."  
  
At this point Ashei had stepped behind him and was shadowing his form. She pushed him forwards and guided his arm to strike ahead, before pulling him fluidly back into a starting position. "If you can remember that, you're good to go."  
  
"... Y-Yes, I see."  
  
"Let's try it again now. You have to do better this time or I'll be disappointed, yeah?"  
  
In the midst of their fighting lesson, Link appeared stealthily from around the corner... now holding the Sheikah statue in his hands instead of his mouth. He'd hoped that it hadn't been _too_ damaged by his fangs, or that he wouldn't be pulling any splinters out of his mouth later.  
  
"Um... hello?" He enquired, watching the two acting strangely.  
  
Shad was too focused on hitting Ashei's hands to realise what was going on, moving skilfully as he did so - while she seemed to be laughing and shouting at him in encouragement.  
  
"This - is actually - rather - fun?" He said breathlessly, holding a smile in spite of himself.  
  
"YES - _hmf_ \- again! Punch me like you mean it, Shad!"  
  
"H-Hello _?_ ... Guys!" Link finally intervened, blinking slowly as he did so. "Can you keep it down?! I got it - the thing we're after... and, uh... _we need to get out of here."_  
  
Shouting had erupted from the window of a house some distance away, which the swordsman knew to be a very bad sign. Telma's cat had all but vanished into smoke, escaping the scene of the crime even more efficiently than he could've hoped.  
  
"Oh, apologies, Link." The scholar frowned. "I'd almost forgotten what we were doing..."  
  
"Let's just get back to the bar, quickly. And... m-maybe you can continue this later?"  
  
"Nah. I'm done with lessons for now." Ashei shrugged.  
  
"... A shame, really. I think you make a wonderful teacher." The scholar offered, with glowing appraisal.  
  
The warrior brushed lightly against arm in response, feeling relieved more than anything that things seemed to be back to normal.  
  
Link had walked hurriedly ahead of the two with a bewildered look on his face. Seeing them behave in such a manner was interesting, to say the least... and he'd wondered whether his mind had been playing tricks on him when he reconsidered Ashei's words to him, before.  
  
"You'll have to tell us how you managed to pull that one off, old boy... last time I checked, you were a law-abiding citizen." Shad teased him playfully, over his shoulder.

* * *

In a miraculous stroke of luck, the Resistance had been able to map out Ilia's journey from the hidden village once she held the Sheikah statue in her hands - recalling the rest of her memories with Telma's unconditional support. Once the hero had given his word that he'd do everything in his power to rescue Impaz, he'd then departed one final time from their rowdy headquarters... hoping that by the time he returned, the Mirror of Twilight would be complete.  
  
And they would all be one step closer to going _home._  
  
Link clutched at the grass-whistle necklace hidden under the folds of his tunic as he thundered across the northern plains... a parting gift from his best friend to be shared with Epona.  
  
Then, on the following morning - with his own bags packed and his research at a crushing standstill - it was finally Shad's turn to leave.  
  
"Wait for me..." He'd recalled Link saying, as he loaded his belongings into the back of a carriage.  
  
The swordsman seemed optimistic that he'd be able to restore the Dominion Rod, though it were truly a gamble based on their lack of leads...  
  
Shad turned around to face the strange cadre that had called themselves the Resistance. Based on appearances alone, they would've seemed to have nothing at all in common... but they'd been more of a family to him than any words could capture.  
  
He nodded politely to Rusl and Auru, who returned the favour with their own sense of pride in the scholar. Unlike them, he'd rarely ventured beyond the city - and with his thesis coming to fruition, it was an exciting change indeed.  
  
Next, the scholar said goodbye to Telma, who'd hugged him so hard that his feet no longer touched the ground.  
  
"Take care of yourself out there, honey. Bring back some drinking stories for us, won't you?"  
  
"Hopefully nothing _too_ scandalous... Oh, and please do enjoy the polished floors." The scholar chuckled into her shoulder, before she'd lowered him back down.  
  
It was Ashei's turn next, whose expression had hardened to match the look in her eyes.  
  
"Remind Link... that if he doesn't keep you safe, _I'll kill-"_  She paused before finishing the sentence, remembering that Ilia was right next to her. "... I'll punch him. Really hard into the wall."  
  
The warrior then held out her arm, going in for a handshake - which seemed far too stilted and _formal,_ coming from her - before Shad had brushed it away with a smile. He then moved in close, pulling Ashei into a proper hug that caught her by surprise.  
  
She'd made a strange sound in protest at first, which was almost like a gasp... but then she relaxed and patted him on the shoulder.  
  
"I know you are worried... but it's going to be fine." Shad assured her, feeling the cold imprint of her armour against his body as he stepped back. "You taught me to be strong, Ashei. And there isn't a thing out there that can stand between me and my research."  
  
"... That's good. Make these idiots in town eat their own words."  
  
And then, finally, the scholar stepped forward to meet Ilia's eyes.  
  
Of all the people he'd be leaving behind in the city, he'd _known_ that the girl from Ordon Village was going to be the hardest goodbye... and yet, nothing could've prepared him for what it felt like, now. His chest grew heavy upon the realisation that it might be some time until they saw each other again. Everything might be different.  
  
_He_ might be different.  
  
"Shad, it's gonna be okay..." Ilia said, interrupting the worried look on his face. "I... I need you to know that I can manage without you here. And when you finally come back to us, I'll be more like my old self again. You'll see."  
  
"Of course." He said quietly, squeezing her hand.  
  
"Don't let Link do anything stupid, either. I know what he's like and he'd get run over by a horse if it meant keeping you out of danger." She'd laughed at him, wiping the tears out of her eyes.  
  
Shad then wrapped his arms around Ilia in goodbye, exuding all of the fervour he could manage over the passion of his studies.  
  
"... We'll look after each other. You have my word."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This was such a big, crazy chapter and I'm sorry - BUT it's also the last time everybody's gonna be in town together until we tackle ~~the castle!~~ So of course, the final side-quest involves... stealing things? Sorry, Telma. 
> 
> Also, Link and Shad have finally skipped town! I wonder how things will go when they meet again. ;)


	19. The Magician

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With his research now reaching a critical stage, Shad anxiously awaits for Link to catch up with him in Kakariko.
> 
> But the mysterious swordsman has quiet plans to exceed his expectations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: One step closer to the City in the Sky! 
> 
> Thank you all again, it can't have been easy to follow such a loose plot for so long... but the final battle is coming (like winter) and it has a few twists and turns... and a ~~surprise character,~~ so I look forward to writing that in a couple of chapters. xD

**Chapter 19 - The Magician  
  
** "Hello? Mister Shad...?" Called a voice somewhere up from the ceiling.  
  
The scholar really hadn't been paying attention to how much time had passed in the outside world but it were safe to assume that he'd been underground for a _while..._ and that he was probably long overdue for some fresh air.  
  
Or so he'd told himself, some hours ago.  
  
"It's me, again. Just thought I'd let you know that dinner's ready... if you ever feel like coming out of there."  
  
For Shad, entering the ancient labyrinth running beneath Kakariko had been like climbing down into a whole other realm - a muted domain that was blanketed in earthy red, illuminated only by dwindling flame. It was eerily quiet and there were very little in the way of sound but for the occasional dripping from the cavern walls.  
  
He'd eagerly ferreted his way through each of the paths, which were in the habit of breaking off into strange corners, and spent many an afternoon sketching the odd characters that ran along the doorframes... which were _extremely old_ and very much unlike the rest of the columns holding up the entirety of the structure.  
  
With his progress now halted in its tracks, Shad's evening had consisted of standing down against a single, stubborn owl statue that barred the door behind it with unshakable strength. It had so _obviously_ deviated in design from the other deities he'd come across in his travels - including the one not too far out of town in the Kakariko Gorge - that its mystery had since been taken on as a personal challenge.  
  
"... Cut from the same stone..." The scholar murmured, inspecting the crevasses around the eyes. He leaned in closer to the guardian's face as it taunted him, silently, with its secrets.  
  
"Mister Shad? Are you alive, down there?"  
  
He'd reached out to touch it once again and was mildly startled by the tiny _zap_ it emitted _,_ bouncing off his fingers.  
  
"... Static in the air... "  
  
"Hey."  
  
A small hand gripped onto the shoulder of his coat, which caused the scholar inhale suddenly with fright. He crashed onto the ground nearby with a reverberating "AHHH!" as his notes scattered about the floor.  
  
"It's not healthy for you to be down here for so long." Colin frowned, looking over Shad with a concern that could've matched Ilia's. "Come on, we're having Goron spice curry and rice. You should come back after you've had a break."  
  
"Good _gracious,_ Colin. You gave me quite the start there, scamp." **  
  
** "... What's that word? I've never heard it, before."  
  
The scholar promptly collected the missing pages and then rose to his feet, dusting the red from his knees as he did so. "Nothing offensive, I assure you." He said, flashing an awkward smile. "I suppose it must be getting rather late, yes?"  
  
"Well, it's past sundown... and you've been here since this morning."  
  
With a sigh, Shad then made his way over to the ladder, letting the younger boy lead them up into the Sanctuary. In the most uncanny manner Colin had reminded him of a much younger version of Link and he might've guessed that this were, in fact, his little brother if he hadn't known any differently.  
  
It also didn't help that Colin just a _little_ too quiet to be reminiscent of Rusl - prompting Shad to wonder at Uli's personality - though his likeness to his father was readily apparent in the sharpness of his mind... and the bold manner in which he'd climbed into the darkness to check on the eccentric scholar.  
  
"You're a good lad to be worried about me... though, I'd recommend _not_ going down my career path if you treasure your sanity." Shad offered, with some self-depreciating humour.  
  
"I'm not really into swords and stuff, though." Colin sighed. "I'd be happy to learn if it meant keeping everyone safe. But there must also be other ways of helping people - without violence..."  
  
"Certainly, there are! You could study to become a doctor, if you so desired. A _decent_ one that places people first." Shad had then said, without thinking. He then wondered at Rusl might have to say about this career path and promptly sealed his mouth shut. It was no secret that the Ordonian swordsman had an eye for young talent and had been trying to recruit Link over a matter of years.  
  
"I'd never thought of that before..." Colin wondered. "Renado's a doctor too, in a weird way... and he's Luda's father. Maybe I could learn from _them?_ And I could come back here after the war's over!"  
  
"Uh... _p-perhaps..._ though, I imagine there are plenty of _other_ professions out there... that are in need of a capable mind..." The scholar fumbled in panic.  
  
After climbing their way up into the heart of the Sanctuary, Colin and Shad were greeted to the warm glow of a fire from outside. Around it were gathered the rest of the children from Ordon, along with Renado, Barnes and a small crew of Gorons. Much of the diverse group were laughing and talking in a manner that caused their voices to bounce off the walls of the gorge.  
  
"Thanks for the talk, Mister Shad! You're the best." The blonde boy had beamed at him, before dashing outside to join the dark-haired girl around his age.  
  
Taking a second to hang back, Shad coughed a little upon the sharpness of the mountain air and wiped the dust from his glasses.  
  
"... I wonder."  
  
Nervously, he'd then scanned the group for any sign of Link - silently hoping that this might've been the _real_ reason he were summoned from the ruins.  
  
But alas... _nothing.  
_  
A giddy feeling had since leapt into his throat as he'd searched for the handsome swordsman, though it soon dissipated into pinpricks of embarrassment that rained mercilessly over his face. Surely, it weren't the end of the world that Link hadn't arrived yet, so then _why_ was he left feeling so disappointed?  
  
Although - Shad had remembered - this were probably the longest he'd gone without the company of those in his inner-circle... or a cup of coffee, for that matter.  
  
... And that in these circumstances, it would've been perfectly natural for _any person_ to feel lonely.  
  
"Welcome, Shad," Renado had called over the flames, as the scholar finally opened the door. "It is good of you to join us, this evening."  
  
"Ah... y-yes, quite. It was getting rather tedious down there, so I decided to liven things up."  
  
Looking around at the mismatched faces of the town, many of which he'd known to be far too young to have ever been displaced from their home, Shad had then gotten the uncanny feeling that Ilia might've been here instead... taken under Renado's wing instead of Telma's. She would've huddled around the fire near where Colin and Luda sat now, and grasped at the _strangeness_ of this scholar who'd come to visit the ruins, with those verdant eyes that had most resembled a thicket.  
  
_'Oh Ilia... I hope that Telma and Ashei are keeping you well.'_  
  
It seemed that her and Link were rather like ghosts in this lonely valley.  
  
Eventually, Shad forced himself into a conversation with Renado about the restoration efforts for Kakariko in order to distract himself for the rest of the evening. For, if he weren't busy thinking about the people around him, he would be faced with the impossibility of the path to the Sky.  
  
The stars had begun to shine through the curtain of periwinkle blue that stretched beyond their very atmosphere, pulling Shad's restless attention away from the shaman once again.  
  
_'Blast these stubborn ruins...'_ He cursed, quietly. _  
_

* * *

  
A couple more days passed, in which Shad had grown _increasingly_ irritable with the state of his research. Consulting his notes had brought him around into circles, and despite the fact that he was now a fluent reader of the Sky Writing, it seemed that without the power to command the owl deities, they would remain forever dormant...  
  
Even if the air around them hummed with an energy that made them seem very much _alive._  
  
After sketching all that the labyrinth had to offer and poring over the curious layout of the cavern, the scholar spent the rest of the afternoon pacing along the lagoon near the town entrance. The heat from the earth had caused the water's edge to rise with steam, blowing away quickly as it formed in the gentle breeze.  
  
Shad found himself wondering what might've possibly been holding Link up - not that he was _dying to see his friend_ \- though the selfishness of these thoughts hadn't been lost on him.  
  
Working in this desolate town had reminded him daily of how much had been lost in the wave of attacks beyond the city gates. And, he'd soberly realised, it had been nothing short of a privilege for him to be able to write away in an attic... with only a magic barrier as a reminder of what was at stake. Being stuck in a rut was perhaps the least of anyone's worries in this place.  
  
However, all of this restlessness had raised another, more worrying question, of what would be waiting for him at the end of his research.  
  
Or, better yet... _who_ would still be in town a year from now? _  
  
'Everybody will finally be able to return home... Ilia and Rusl would be reunited with their families, Auru might be able to assist the Royal Family once again, Link and Ashei will most likely find work beyond the town walls... they might even work together... but...'_  
  
He then watched the glistening waters as they shone with notes of turquoise and warm blue, contrasted beautifully against the rusted earth of the town.  
  
_'Is that not what we're fighting for...?'  
_  
It would be nightfall soon, and the scholar dreaded another one of the fitful naps that had plagued him with thoughts of being back home - where he'd imagined seeing Ilia over the bar in the heat of the evening rush; or arguing with Ashei in the street, only for her to smile and make it all up to him later.  
  
The cruellest part was the apparent lack of alcohol in this place, which might've smoothed over the added frustration of being isolated.  
  
When Shad finally returned to his quarters to retire for the night - in the upper levels of an eerie, boarded house, surrounded by a scattered collection of candles, lanterns and books - he could've cried with joy upon the discovery of a stainless metal flask, which had been tucked into his smallclothes... _of all places._  
  
He'd blushed a painful shade of red as he unfolded the note that accompanied it, which had said:  
  
"Hang in there honey and enjoy this one on the house.  
  
\- T, I  & A."  
  
And beneath it, was a hastily written:  
_  
_ "PS: _Bring back my flask, you booze hound."  
_  
"Oh, Ashei..." Shad sighed, feeling weirdly nostalgic for the venom dripping through the pages.  
  
He'd tucked the amusing gift into his coat and moved away from the dark corner that contained the rest of his luggage, before climbing out onto the awning that extended from one of the nearby windows. The scholar took a swig of something awful and then laid back to stare at the evening sky, basking in the conversations that drifted from the street below him.  
  
Old habits died hard, he'd thought, as he pressed the flask to his lips.

* * *

  
'... What are you _doing,_ Link?' Midna questioned from the dark, as his fingers were a hairsbreadth away from Shad. 'You'll scare the life out of him at this hour!'  
  
"I have to wake him, Midna...! It's his life's work and I know he'd want me to." The swordsman whispered excitedly, though he'd also been incredibly nervous to do so.  
  
The sun was mere hours away from rising over the valley when Link finally pulled into town, leaving Epona by the hot springs before he wandered into the Sanctuary. Surprisingly, Renado were awake at this hour - prompting him to wonder whether the older man _ever_ slept - and had soon advised him that the scholar weren't spending this particular night underground.  
  
The swordsman stepped carefully around the sleeping children on his way out and proceeded to search the remaining houses for his friend, quietly wondering how much easier it would've been to pick up his light cologne in wolf form.  
  
When he finally found Shad asleep in the highest corner of one of the buildings, next to a low-burning lantern and a curiously familiar empty flask, he'd paused and held his breath...  
  
'Look, I hate wasting time more than anyone... but you can afford to wait a couple of hours. If you give this guy a heart attack, then there goes our _only_ chance of translating the book. And then we'll really be in trouble.'  
  
Link frowned as he withdrew his hand, only now beginning to feel the tiredness in his eyes.  
  
"... Alright then. But I'm not leaving here until we get to talk, it's way too important."  
  
'You just want to watch him sleep again.' The imp teased.  
  
The swordsman didn't even argue with her as he posted himself nearby, propped against the wall, and looking a little awe-struck, allowed his eyes to flicker over the scholar. The whispers from their conversation must've stirred him, as Shad then rolled over and began to mumble in his sleep.  
  
"... Link..." he'd mumbled loftily into the pillow.  
  
'Oho. And it looks like _he_ enjoys dreaming about you. Still as popular as ever, Link.'  
  
_"Stop it."  
_  
The scholar continued listlessly on, mentioning something about Ilia and potions, before rolling over and falling silent once again.  
  
"... See? Nothing weird's going on. Not that there'd be anything _wrong_ with... Shad thinking about me... if that ever happened."  
  
'Hey, hey... I don't judge. Gender doesn't diminish... usefulness.' Midna grinned at him wickedly through the gloom. 'And some of you little Hylians can be quite interesting. If only most of them weren't so ignorant of what was going on, around them.'  
  
"Little?" The hero sassed her, raising an eyebrow. "This, coming from one of the smallest people I know?"  
  
'... I had another form, once. And I was every bit as poised and beautiful as your Princess Zelda. In fact, I doubt _you_ could've handled it.'  
  
There was a name he hadn't heard in a while. And although Midna had barely spoken of what happened to her, Link decided that he were more than happy to go along with it, if only to break some of the ice surrounding the topic.  
  
"You think Princess Zelda is beautiful?" He smirked, playfully.  
  
'I didn't... mean it like that! _Everyone_ thinks she's beautiful!' Midna back-pedaled, now finding herself on the defence.  
  
"Sure. Not that I'm judging, I don't do that."  
  
'Watch yourself, handsome. If you continue down this path, I just might steal one of your friends out of spite.'  
  
"Oh _really._ Are any of them even your type?"  
  
'... Who'd make you the most angry?' She giggled.  
  
Link smiled as he batted at his shadow, earning himself another playful laugh from the sardonic imp. Moments of levity between them were rare, though _quietly_ welcomed from either side, and their relationship had progressed in recent weeks to one where the hero had very nearly disassembled her wall of apathy.  
  
In turn, she'd reconciled to look out for the naive kid she'd be putting into the firing line of Zant.  
  
If only they could make it to the Sky.  
  
With the assignment now thoroughly buried in the back of his mind, the hero then closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall supporting him... drifting into a deep sleep only inches away from the fidgety scholar.

* * *

'Link.'  
  
Shad couldn't believe his eyes when he woke up.  
  
'It's Link.'  
  
At first it seemed to be a blur, until he'd slipped his glasses on to confirm the wonderful news before him, now fast asleep, against the wall.  
  
_'It's really Link,'_ he'd reiterated, now in a mild state of panic.  
  
All this time, nearly pulling his hair out in frustration at the ruins, and the man he'd been waiting for was _finally_ here!  
  
... But without the Dominion Rod, what did he have to show for it? _  
  
_ The cold morning air had been stirred up by a light breeze that came in through the rusted roof slats, carrying the cries of the village's Cuccoos along with it.  
  
"Dear Goddesses..."  
  
Shad had suddenly noticed the tiny distance between them in the dusty corner of this old building, wondering how he could've possibly slept for so long whilst being totally _oblivious_ to the young swordsman's presence.  
  
His violet eyes had settled onto the tiny mess of items scattered along the side of his bedroll, before extrapolating whether the alcohol were indeed to blame for this embarrassing oversight.  
  
And although the scholar suspected that he must've had some rather compelling news in order to wait by his side for so long - Shad paused as he considered the counter-arguments for waking Link. Firstly, he could've done with a wash... and a quick shave. Secondly, he had no idea what time Link must've arrived, and wondered whether allowing him the morning to rest would actually be doing him a favour.  
  
And thirdly...  
  
Though it seemed a little... _underhanded,_ he'd rather enjoyed the smooth beauty of Link's face as he slept - taking in shallow breaths but remaining still as ever, as though he were cut from the ice.  
  
'Oh, what are you even _doing...?_ '  
  
Rays of the morning sun had also filtered down from the gaps in the roof and played upon the gold in his hair, causing him to shine the most brilliant colours.   
  
'Could you imagine the scandal if you'd stayed in _Ilia's_ room to watch her sleep like this? It's... not very becoming at all.' He'd thought, hit with a burning shame that stripped him all the way to his bones. Shad knew then that he'd lost the argument for delaying the inevitable.   
  
"Link..." He said gently, after sitting up to shake the younger man.  
  
"... Mhmm..."  
  
"Old boy, it's me..."  
  
Eventually, the swordsman's eyes fluttered open, catching some of the light which had turned them into a radiant sky blue.  
  
_"Whoa...!_ What time is it...? I didn't mean to be out for so long."  
  
"N-Nothing to worry about, really. I just woke up, myself." The scholar smiled up at him, looking positively dishevelled. As always, his gaze was soft, and had completely captured Link's attention from his unruly hair or crumpled up shirt.  
  
"... Shad, I have something for you. It's really important and it just couldn't wait, so I stayed here... uh, sorry."  
  
The swordsman hadn't bothered to put any further space between them as he reached into his tunic and pulled out an old, leather-bound tome. Shad blinked excitedly as he'd accepted it with both hands, after propping himself into a more comfortable position.  
  
"It's from Impaz, the old lady who helped Ilia after she escaped the monsters."  
  
Holding his breath, the scholar unclipped the cover and then opened the book to the first page... before flicking excitedly to the next page... and then, another. "... This _entire_ book is in Sky Writing." He gasped.  
  
"Oh... is that bad? There's no pressure if you need more time to translate it properly..."  
  
"No, no, no! You misunderstand! I can _read it_ just fine. It is just that... this is... I'm feeling rather... _overwhelmed."_  
  
Link looked confused for a moment, struggling to understand where the eccentric man was coming from. "Not in a bad way...?"  
  
"HEAVENS, NO! ... I-I didn't mean to shout at you, Link. Please excuse me if I'm being rude - I fear that I might be ruining the moment here... But the truth is, that I'm completely awe-struck."  
  
Shad cleared his throat before he spoke again, trying to steady his hands from shaking.  
  
"This book is... something else, _entirely._ And I have to wonder how it came to be in the possession of the descendants of the Sheikah - as inseparable as they were to the Royal Family - rather than it being enshrined with the rest of the collection in the Royal Archives. Perhaps... they intended it to be kept separate, in anticipation of something terrible like this ever happening."  
  
"Well, she said it was for the Messenger of the Heavens." The hero clarified. Seeing Shad wound up like this had reminded him of the night he'd donated the collection of ancient letters he'd found, hidden in the deepest corners of Hyrule.  
  
And as much as his mania mode had seemed to unsettle Ashei, Link couldn't help but find it entertaining.  
  
"There was some kind of prophecy involved... I don't know too much about that, but it's yours now, seeing as you'll probably look after it better than I could."  
  
"... Link, I have no right to simply OWN such a thing. I could not keep this knowledge from the world!" Shad declared, flabbergasted. "That is... after I've studied it all extensively and interpreted it into my own transcript... though, perhaps I could present it back to the Royal Family, as an apology for my father's overdue loan of that one, particular book? Yes. Hahaha... _this will do, nicely indeed."_  
  
Although swordsman had no idea what he were talking about, he'd gladly decided to trust Shad anyway... despite the fact that he'd now heard him use that slightly sinister tone of voice.  
  
... Perhaps _this_ was why the warrior had been so eager to get away whenever the scholar exhibited his over-excited traits.  
  
"So! We are to work on this today then, yes?" Shad then beamed at him, excitedly.  
  
"Y-Yeah! Ahaha. I'm glad to see you so happy about it. I mean, I sort of feel bad for making you do all the reading... you've already done pretty much all of the work in this field of study."  
  
_"Nonsense!_ This is what I live for. Shall we set off, then? I can give you a quick tour of the ruins, of course! And if you should bring the Dominion Rod with you, we can run our own variety of experiments - ACK!"  
  
The scholar had risen quickly out of the bed and then tripped over on the leg of his nightclothes, catching himself one of the tables where the rest of his tomes were artfully stacked.  
  
"I love the enthusiasm there, but... you can slow down a bit." Link had grinned at him, holding back a laugh. "Take your time. Get changed. I'll get out of your way, um, _obviously..."_ He'd suddenly remembered the night he removed his shirt without warning in front of the city man and how the reaction alone might've sent him to an early grave.

Shad was already pulling his day-attire out of a nearby travel case with violent haste, before he spoke again. "Oh, you needn't bother."  
  
"... Wh-What do you mean?"  
  
"There's a lone spring at the very top of this side of the cliff. It's rather beautiful and I like to get ready there, in the mornings."  
  
"Ah... right." Link swallowed, fighting the colour on his face.  
  
Shad shot a wayward smile over his shoulder - only just catching the younger man's reaction. "Though I may show you around up there, later... since you asked."

* * *

  
After sharing a quick breakfast together - during which Link had ravenously _wolfed_ everything down - him and Shad then made their way back towards the Sanctuary. The scholar carried a newfound energy with him that hadn't seemed possible yesterday, and he'd anticipated the most exciting reveal of his career with the mysterious book in tow.  
  
But before either of the two could even lay a hand upon the door to the building, a cacophony of young voices rang out from across the road.  
  
_"Hey! Link's back!"  
_  
"Uh oh..." The swordsman smirked. He'd then caught one of the three kids with a single arm as they crashed into his side.  
  
"I've been practicing my sword fighting while you were away! Wanna see?"  
  
"Did you kill anything worth talking about?"  
  
"Have you visited Prince Ralis since he went home? What was he like?"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa... slow down, _one_ at a time." Link laughed at them, before he'd looked up at Shad who observed the scene with some amusement.  
  
"How's Ilia?" Talo had nearly shouted up at him in excitement. "We haven't seen her since she brought that Zora kid! Is she alright?"  
  
"Maybe you should ask _Shad,_ buddy _._ He's been looking after her." He shot a wink the scholar's way, which caused him to laugh nervously and run a hand through his hair in turn.  
  
"... Whoa, hang on a second. Is that... her _boyfriend?"_ Beth squeaked.  
  
"Ilia has a boyfriend? And it's not Link? ... _What happened?"_ Talo said, now looking positively offended. "You're way stronger than this guy!"  
  
"Ahaha..."  
  
"Hey now, that's not very nice. Shad does most of the heavy lifting back at our headquarters. He's stronger than me, most days." The swordsman offered, smiling at him in earnest.  
  
"Yeah but... he hangs out with Colin and that weird girl."  
  
_"Don't be a jerk!_ Colin saved me from that monster and Luda's really nice!" Beth shouted at him in response. "Also - you never said that you _weren't_ dating Ilia... is it true?"  
  
"And more importantly, would he be interested in donating to the bridge restoration fund?"  
  
"Come on guys, don't gang up on him like this. Shad and Ilia are two of my best friends - if they were dating I'd be one of the first to know."  
  
"I-I'm... uh..." Shad stammered. "Honoured, to be counted as such."  
  
"... They're _totally_ dating. Just look at how nervous he is. Sorry you had to find out about it this way, Link. Although... maybe you could still win her back?"  
  
"Alright everyone, that's enough for now! We've got a job to do. I'll tell Ilia you all said hi!" Link smiled, as he placed a hand on the scholar's shoulder to usher him through the door. "Sorry about that, Shad. I promise they didn't mean to be rude."  
  
"Oh, _please._ That was a walk in the park compared to any of the customers we get at the bar." The scholar smiled at him. "Perhaps you have untapped potential as one of Telma's future employees? I dare say that she would be overjoyed to have you... for purely selfish reasons, of course."  
  
"That would probably be a bad idea. Ilia was always the more coordinated and, um... _careful_ one, of the two of us." Link frowned.  
  
"You don't say." Truthfully, he'd always found Ilia's clumsiness to be endearing - which had then prompted him to wonder in what capacity Link could _possibly_ be worse.  
  
Shad chuckled quietly as they stepped toward the ladder and began their descent into the ruins. "To work then, my friend?"  
  
"Yeah! Show me around. I wanna see everything."  
  
Though the scholar hadn't been expecting it at all, mostly due to the _reserved_ nature of his work, the swordsman had seemed genuinely interested in the ancient framework beneath the town. It felt as though they'd travelled down into a void where the skies beyond were frozen in time - disconnected from the buried past.  
  
Once he'd been satisfied that there weren't anything more to cover, Shad had then stopped in front of the main statue, near the entrance of the labyrinth. It had been set firmly into the wall, surrounded by a sturdy frame carved with intricate designs... not unlike those on the prongs of the Dominion Rod.  
  
"Well, I'm afraid this is where we come to a dead end." He'd said, wryly. "It seems a lot to hope for - but unless this book can further elucidate how one might communicate with the statues, this might be the closest our civilisation ever comes to unlocking a passage to the Skies."  
  
"Have you ever thought about excavating a hole in the wall? There's a bomb shop down the road." Link shrugged.  
  
_"... Oh my,_ surely you do not intend to cause damage to these ruins? Do you have _any_ idea how far these artefacts date back to?! I... I will simply NOT allow it... in fact, I refuse to-"  
  
"Whoa, whoa! I was just _kidding_ there, Shad."  
  
"You were... Oh." The scholar deflated, taking a deep breath. "Goddesses Link, you have the same outlandish sense of humour as Ashei."  
  
The swordsman chuckled nervously in response, in an effort to defuse the situation. "Sorry, that wasn't really funny... I'd never do anything like that to this place. And we don't really have the time to be digging it up."  
  
Mirroring his awkward laughter, Shad then pulled the ancient sky book out from his coat, allowing his eyes to scan quickly over the pages. "... Well then, would you be most kind and take out the Dominion Rod for me? There is a rather interesting passage in here."  
  
"Y-Yeah! Got it." The younger man said, scrambling around to free it from where he'd strapped it under the shield.  
  
"Most excellent. And it says _right_ here... that one must balance it onto their head in order to channel the spirits of the Skies. Otherwise the spell won't work properly, you see."  
  
Link found himself blinking at the strangeness of this request, though he were not in a position to advocate otherwise. Shad was the expert here... and he were in the best hands Hyrule had to offer when it came to the ancient mysteries.  
  
"O-Oh... uh, sure."  
  
The scholar looked up from the pages and laughed inwardly at the hero holding the instrument on top of his head, using his fingertips to adjust it into place.  
  
"How long do I do this for...?"  
  
"Just a moment, old boy." He'd then flashed a smirk, which went entirely undetected as he cleared his throat and then proceeded to read out the characters in the book - using a foreign language that sounded just as indecipherable as it were intriguing.  
  
At once the Dominion Rod began to glow a dazzling light, causing the hero to gasp in surprise. The invisible energy that emanated from it was unmistakably familiar and the subtle humming reached his ears.  
  
"It's... it's working again!" Link exclaimed.  
  
The scholar's reaction was incalculable, as he snapped the book closed and brought a hand to his mouth. Could this have actually _worked?_ In all his years chasing after the Sky, nothing had ever come this easily. Certainly, this ancient book had come at a very steep price... _but even so..._  
  
"This is _exactly_ how it looked before! ... Shad, you're the best! You FIXED it!!"  
  
"..."  
  
"Can I take it off my head yet...?"  
  
"... I... I never expected... _this_ _to work."_ Shad paled, looking over the swordsman with awe. "... Y-You must remove it at once Link, I'm afraid I was simply having you on about channelling the Sky spirits."  
  
"What? ... SHAD!" The younger man pulled the instrument off his head immediately, blushing at how gullible he'd just demonstrated himself to be.  
  
"... You must try it on the statue here, at once." The scholar breathed. "B-But I simply have no idea what to _expect..._ in terms of it coming alive?! Have you ever seen such a thing?"  
  
Link cringed a little as he laughed, in affirmation. "It's... a pretty interesting mechanic. At least I'll be able to show you, now."  
  
But when he'd swung it towards the lone statue in the room - as he'd done countless times before in the Temple of Time - nothing had happened. The hero tried it again, and then a third time, before he held the Rod in his hands and inspected it closely.  
  
"Well, ahaha... _this_ doesn't normally happen. It's supposed to switch the statues on right away."  
  
Shad had frowned thoughtfully before he searched the book again, feeling as though he were drowning in the barrage of information. His head began to spin as the extent of this new problem dawned upon him.  
  
"... Oh, no. There's... a _whole section_ in the back with missing characters. BLAST IT! Link, we were so close...!"  
  
The swordsman lowered the Dominion Rod and glanced back over at his colleague, who'd held his head in his hands. "... Hey, are you feeling alright?"  
  
For him, it really _had_ been too much to hope that things would fall into place - and to have his expectations dashed onto the rocks so swiftly had compressed the rest of his frustrations throughout the week.  
  
"... My apologies. I'm going to need a quick minute to cool off before I can be of any further use." But before he could wander dejectedly away, Link placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.  
  
He'd been comforted by Shad so many times and seeing him in this crestfallen state had stirred something within him, though he were unable to imagine how many years of study must have gone into this journey so far.  
  
"I'll understand if you wanna be alone... but I'm also _here_ if you wanna talk it through, instead? Two heads are better than one."  
  
The scholar sighed heavily, attempting to hide his expression, which had bordered onto defeat. He really didn't like their prospects of unearthing any more of the Sky characters within a reasonable amount of time - it had already taken him so long to get _this_ far.  
  
"... Link." He said, simply.  
  
The younger man had then stepped forward, grabbing both of his shoulders just a _little_ roughly, though the warmth of his intent were certainly there.  
  
"We can fix this! I'm sure there’s something easy, or _simple_ that we're overlooking... and it's difficult to think right now, cause we're still riled up on fixing the Dominion Rod."  
  
Shad smiled a little as he placed a hand over one of his shoulders where Link held on, and squeezed gently, basking in his presence.  
  
"... Indeed, it _would_ be difficult for me to come up with a solution at the moment." He laughed, quietly. But then, just as he'd said it, something popped into his head - as though to contradict him.  
  
_"The owls!"  
_  
"The... what?" Link questioned, with a funny smirk and a note of amusement in his voice.  
  
Shad pulled back carefully, holding the hero's gaze as he did so. "There are other statues all over Hyrule, depicting similar owl deities to this one. And this fellow happens to be the outlier. Perhaps _those_ would respond to the Dominion Rod now that it seems to be working? Quickly, you must get out your map! Uh, p-please..."  
  
"There he is! He's back." Link grinned as he pulled out the map of Hyrule, having already watched Midna fuss with it on several occasions.  
  
"Before I left town, I'd actually been gathering information on where they all might be." The scholar explained, running his fingers over the regions. He'd pointed out all of the spots where traveling merchants had seen the statues from the road, including the one he'd visited just outside of Kakariko in the Gorge and the one in the ruins of the ancient theatre.  
  
"There's two more, actually. I ran into them during my assignments but had no idea what they did or how they'd gotten there..." Link said, marking their locations in the Faron Woods and Gerudo Desert.  
  
_"Excellent!_ ... Truly excellent, Link! Although, the caveat is that they're all so far apart. It would take quite some time for us to go and visit each one." Shad noted.  
  
He was beginning to sound rather disappointed once again, forcing the following words to slip out of Link's mouth.  
  
"Actually, there's... a way for _me_ to get to them quickly but... um..."  
  
' **Hey**.' Midna intervened. She spoke sternly into Link's ear, beyond the comprehension of the human standing right next to him. 'I know we're all good friends now but _one_ slip-up was more than enough. I can't have you spilling our secrets all over town after what happened at Snowpeak.'  
  
"Quickly, you say?"  
  
"Y-Yeah. Like, in a day or two. But... it's hard to explain right now." The swordsman stumbled.  
  
He'd heeded Midna's words but Shad's face had lit up excitedly once again, sending a pang of guilt into his stomach. "... I really don't want to keep you in the dark again, Shad but... you'll just have to trust me on this. I can get it done and return here as soon as possible."  
  
The scholar failed to notice the hero's shadow as it flickered menacingly in the firelight, his attention fixed firmly onto the man in front of him.  
  
"... I could never doubt you, my friend. You shall have to tell me of the results, then."  
  
_'Tsk._ Look what you've done, Link. You've said too much and that's the face of a man who's held off on asking questions for too long. It's like looking at a puppy on the street... you're the worst.'  
  
"It'll be alright. Don't worry." Link had said, to both Midna _and_ Shad. "I'll record anything that I find. And in the meantime, you can probably start on your translation of the rest of the book?"  
  
"Ah - yes! I would treasure the opportunity, in fact. Shall I leave you to it?"  
  
"I'll be back as soon as I can. Promise."  
  
Shad glanced forlornly at Link as he turned to exit the ruins, catching the sigh of relief he'd given as he rubbed at his eyes. "Oh, and next time... please feel free to wake me, if you should ever have news. I assure you that I won't die of fright."  
  
"... Thank you. I'll do that."  
  
'That was scary. Do you think... he can _hear_ what I'm saying?' Midna blinked.

* * *

**  
** After falling dizzily through shadow's magic into the furthest reaches of Hyrule, Link now stood upon one of the mesas in the southern part of the Gerudo Desert. He watched as the sun dipped into the horizon and the sky drenched the sand hills in a pink hue, giving the world around him an almost supernatural edge.  
  
Vaguely, he were also aware of the Mirror Chamber, towering over them in the distance. **  
  
** "It's _done_. It's finally done."  
  
"So much for keeping a low profile with the people from town." Midna sighed. She'd taken her corporeal form once again and hung off of his shoulder, her green veins and red eyes smouldering in the evening light.  
  
"How were you planning on telling the scholar that you went and travelled to all these places in a _day?_ ... Or were you just hoping that he'd drop it? You could've just taken his information quietly."  
  
"Not this again!" Link protested, feeling exasperated from hiking all over the fields all day. "Midna, he's harmless. I told way more stuff to Ashei and she was actually pissed off when it happened - enough to ruin me with it... but she chose not to. There's no way Shad's going to cause us problems.”  
  
"... Well, soldier girl was already _onto_ you and we ended up with no other choice. But this guy? Can we really trust him to keep quiet? He's a bit of a blabbermouth."  
  
The swordsman had grown so accustomed to Midna's cynicism that he could only shoot a tired smile her way, as he alleviated her concerns.  
  
"Shad wouldn't do anything bad. Seriously. He might want to write about this when we're done but that'll be on _me..._ nothing's gonna come back to you or interfere with our mission..."  
  
"It's... fine, Link. You couldn't have unlocked the statues without him." She said quietly, changing her tone.  
  
"And I don't think he'd get in the way on purpose. But I just... want you to be mindful about getting any of them _too_ involved, especially after what you went through with Ilia. It's their safety at stake as well, you know. Our worlds... were separated for a reason... and you're one of the few who can survive both."  
  
Link found himself recalling his earlier experiences of traversing through the spheres of Twilight, and how utterly disorienting it had been... despite being granted the gift of extra senses. Midna's message was clear. ' _What you're doing is dangerous and you're no ordinary person.'  
_  
"Yeah, yeah... it's not the first time I've heard that. But who are you to tell any of us not to fight? And if we completed the Mirror tomorrow, wouldn't it all be _worth_ it? We've got this."  
  
The shadowy imp met his optimism with a rare smile.  
  
"... The Mirror comes first. Both of our worlds depend on it. But if something happened to these people because they got too close, you'd be the one who ends up losing everything. So just... be careful, alright?"  
  
"Hey. Thanks for worrying about me." The young man from Ordon - who she'd happened to pick up when he was a goat herder - seemed to be glowing with approval as he bumped her lightly on the side of the arm. He'd reasoned that she were far too small to have her hands held... though, it had been easy enough for her to be able to reach out and comfort _him,_ whenever the occasion arose.  
  
In response, Midna blushed angrily and turned away.  
  
"Don't thank me! You Hylians are too emotional for me to deal with... and I'd prefer to avoid a crisis when I can see it." She warned.  
  
"I'm being _serious._ You don't have any reason to care about this stuff outside of your identity being kept safe."  
  
"You're right, I don't." She agreed. Then after a brief pause, the imp darted away into his shadow once again. "But _you're_ important too, Link."  
  
A Twilight portal opened above him into the sky, cutting a piercing black void against the faraway heavens. "... We should be getting back to Kakariko. Talk to your weird friend about those Sky characters and if it all goes to plan, we'll be leaving this continent altogether."  
  
"I'll hold you to that." Link smirked. He felt that he definitely owed Shad a favour for running off so abruptly... and their pep talk had only stoked the fires of rebellion within.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: ... Link, why are you like this? Everybody told you to chill out. Next chapter is going to be fluff central - as if this story wasn't already. ;)


	20. Fly Me to the Moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the Ancient Sky Book complete, Link and Shad find themselves enjoying a tender moment away from work. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Ashei has growing concerns for Ilia, which are tactlessly worded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: And we're back! 
> 
> Sorry to have to make this announcement when most people (especially AO3, this is mostly for FFN) have been wonderful but I'd like to remind everyone that I have a zero tolerance stance towards homophobia or misogyny in my works, including the comments section. :) 
> 
> The Rating system applies to the maturity of the themes covered but there is no onus on me to regulate companionship outside of this threshold. We are 'T' for a reason. I'm always open to constructive feedback or any other thoughts/feelings you might like to share but keep in mind that diversity is welcomed here. This notice has also been summarised in Chapter 1.
> 
> Please enjoy the chapter ahead!

**  
Chapter 20 - Fly Me to the Moon  
  
** "It'll be nightfall, soon." Ilia said wistfully, as she placed the last of her newly cleaned glasses into a tower behind the counter.  
  
"Don't remind me, little lady." Telma said with smirk. "It's gonna be a big one tonight. This is when we'd normally hold the Harvest Festival but it's been postponed this year... for obvious reasons. So the crowd will be wanting to fill it with _something._ _"_  
  
"Nice to know all our hard work at home was so appreciated."  
  
The familiar clink of glasses and spices of intoxication were thick in the air of the tavern, which was beginning to fill to capacity in the early hours of the evening. And noise levels were escalating to such a boisterous high that _anybody_ would've found it hard to talk covertly in such an environment - not that the circumstances of either of the two women demanded it in this moment.  
  
"There isn't a restaurant in town that isn't hurting from this crisis." The proprietress sighed, continuing on from their conversation. "But you'll have more business than ever once we get everything up and running again. This place might even seem like a holiday in comparison! ... Speaking of, I've just gotta duck outside for a delivery if you wouldn't mind holding the bar, honey."  
  
"Go on! I've got it under control." Ilia promised.  
  
_'It'll be nightfall..._ '  
  
Ashei studied the rim of the glass she nursed in her steel fingers, lowering her gaze from the spot over the bar where she'd been watching Ilia like a hawk. She'd promised to write to Shad on the subject of her wellbeing but without either of their closest friends there to establish the _usual_ livelyenvironment, it seemed a great risk for their assignment to have taken place now, of all times.  
  
She'd also known that Ilia would've hated this sort of thing to come between anyone and their dream. Or the fact that she'd now been placed under surveillance at the warrior's behest. But soon, it would be nightfall.  
  
_'And that's when the bad stuff goes down.'_  
  
"Hey."  
  
The spritely girl looked up and met the warrior's more serious expression with her usual warmth.  
  
"Good evening, Ashei." She'd greeted from behind the counter. "Another one of those... straight out of the bottle things, for you?"  
  
"Yeah. Uh, _please."  
_  
Upon placing the glass onto the counter, she'd then jumped at the opportunity to scan Ilia for anything _odd_ once she turned around to fetch the noxious liquor in question. She'd also known that subtlety were not one of her strong points and quickly averted her gaze as the younger girl turned back around. She filled the cup with flawless precision before Ashei spoke again, brushing her hair out of the way as she did so.  
  
"So. Been getting enough sleep, lately?"  
  
Ilia blinked rapidly upon hearing this question but before the warrior could cringe at how heavily she'd managed to phrase it, the barmaid collected herself and answered, "... Oh, I'm fine."  
  
"That's... good to hear. Everything certainly _looks_ that way."  
  
"Well, it feels a _little_ more like the way things used to be." She obliged, doing her best to simply go along with the bizarre line of questioning. "And because I don't have to worry about anything... bad coming up anymore, I've been able to work all day with a clearer mind. Telma's already noticed the difference. Nobody else is seeing anything strange."  
  
"Ah. Right."  
  
A brief silence followed, in which neither side knew what to say next.  
  
"Although... it sounds to me like it's still been hard for you to switch off at night." Ashei finally concluded, now searching the younger girl's face for dark circles or any other traces of evidence. "Is that what's going on with you, then?"  
  
However, the warrior had taken it _one_ prying question too far... and any reasonable person might've guessed at this point that she were, in fact, unsatisfied with the current array of answers she was getting. Perhaps the strangest part about all of this was the fact that Ilia really didn't _seem_ to be lying.  
  
But in response, the Ordonian's disposition quietly shifted from one that was merely uncomfortable... to one that was now very much annoyed.  
  
"... Shad put you up to this before he left, didn't he?" She huffed with a small sigh.  
  
"What?! ... Of _course_ not."  
  
"And he probably expects you to write all of this down into a letter."  
  
Ashei had to hand it to her; Ilia knew his precise nature very well. But the raven-haired girl pressed the spirits to her lips, refusing to confirm her suspicions...  
  
For, there'd been a far more pressing motive behind her line of questioning.  
  
"Well, if it wasn't him - then _Link_ asked you to keep an eye on me _,_ didn't he? They don't think I can manage here without them." Ilia continued as her eyebrows began to arch down in defiance.  
  
"... They might've said some stuff before they left." Ashei relayed, doing her best to keep calm. The last thing she needed was this conversation blowing up in her face, or for her cover story to be ruined by something so base as emotion. 

"But it wasn't anything bad. And that doesn't mean my questions are any more... invalid or that _I don't care._ I just... need to hear it from _you_ if there's something going on. I get that I haven't been the easiest person in the world to be around but... you'd let me know if there was, yeah?"  
  
The barmaid turned around and folded her arms crossly, adamant in her refusal to face the warrior in this moment.  
  
"... I'm not a child, Ashei."  
  
"What?! I never said that you _were!"_ She scowled in return. And it was beginning to take more than a hint of self-restraint to hold off on the insults.  
  
"You're treating me like one! And I don't need my hand held everyday for the rest of my life!" Ilia snapped. "I know I can't fight like the rest of you but that doesn't mean I'm some helpless little girl who needs watching over constantly. Tell Shad to get back to his research... or _Link to_ _go away_ , if he's the one behind this!"  
  
Ashei slipped a little closer towards the impulse to bite back, especially against somebody so infuriatingly innocuous. "... Save it for those two when they get back. I'm not a messenger bird for _anybody_ around here."  
  
"Then STOP acting like it!"  
  
Upon seeing Telma open the kitchen door from the side-alley, both girls immediately stopped short of their conversation - which was beginning to veer into combative territory - and turned their attention spans elsewhere.  
  
"... Your drink's there, on the bench." Ilia prompted, eyeing the various bottles with feigned interest as she waited for Ashei to leave.  
  
"Yeah. _Thanks,_ farm girl. Been real good talking with you." The warrior rolled her eyes and nearly tripped on Louise as she stomped away, who'd been circling the legs of the chair and meowing urgently at the height of their argument. "Get out of my way... damn cat."  
  
She'd gone to sit by her usual area near the window, with the airs of somebody who did _not_ want to be disturbed for the rest of the night, until the front door chimed open and Rusl finally stepped into the bar.  
  
After scanning the serving area quickly to check whether Ilia had noticed, Ashei whistled softly to catch his attention.  
  
"There you are." She said bluntly. "Sit with me for a minute."  
  
"Good evening, as always, Ashei." The older gentleman said, raising an eyebrow at her unusually low tone of voice. He'd then followed her sharp gaze to the other side of the room, wondering what could possibly be the cause for such animosity towards... Telma?  
  
Or was it...  
  
"Shh. Don't draw their attention, just... listen."  
  
Carefully, he'd lowered himself into the seat opposite the angered woman and then cleared his throat. "You're not in the habit of calling on others unless it's something important. Would you mind telling me what's going on?"  
  
After a lengthy pause, in which she took a heavy drink, Ashei turned her attention away from the two women and then met his eyes.  
  
"It's Ilia."  
  
"... I see." He'd said with just a hint of amusement. "And what exactly has she done to make you look like you're thinking of robbing this place blind?"  
  
She sighed wearily before continuing.  
  
"Rusl, you know about... all that weird stuff we did with her memories, yeah? When Shad worked his magic and she went under? It was all meant to be good after that. Your girl here was supposed to go back to normal."  
  
"She seems fairly normal now, does she not? Ilia's also been working harder than ever."  
  
"... She's hiding something." The warrior growled. "At night, I've been hearing things from her room. Strange things, like... _whispering..._ but only when it's really late. Something's still off."  
  
"Midnight whispers, you say? My. Are you certain our resident scholar really did leave town?" He'd joked with her, before Ashei involuntarily clenched her teeth.   
  
The glass she happened to be holding suddenly _burst_ in her hand _,_ trickling spirits and broken glass all down her arm and onto the table, drawing stares from the rest of the tavern. 

"Be serious for a moment, Rusl." She said, softly.

 _"Ahem._ Sorry, my friend." He'd corrected himself with a frown. Clearly this joke had managed to upset her in some manner - he'd noticed - as she casually swept the pieces of glass to one side of the table.

"... Link and Shad aren't here to sort things out, so you're next in line." She'd admitted, moving the conversation along. "We need to get to the bottom of this and then, if you can help me confirm that I'm _not_ going crazy, we need to inform Telma. I don't want her to get involved if it's nothing."  
  
"Have you thought about raising any of these concerns with Ilia, herself? It could be that she's become a night owl, after spending so much time with Shad. And that she has some reasonable explanation for all of the noise."  
  
Ashei snorted loudly in response. "Hah. I tried that just before you came in and to say that it didn't go well would be... _optimistic_. I don't think I've ever seen her go off like that, actually."  
  
"Ah. That explains the murderous eyes."  
  
"She has a history of concealing stuff like this though, and I guess... we were never really close enough for her to trust me." She continued, matter-of-factly. "But I think there's also a _chance..._ that she might not be fully aware of it happening? It might even be like a sleep-walking thing. I'm good at picking up liars and she seemed pretty legit."  
  
"Your underlying theory is that she has no idea?" Rusl then questioned. "Not to be overly doubtful but... then how on earth did you begin to notice such a thing?"  
  
"Because it _woke me up!_ " The warrior protested, slapping her hand onto the table. "Don't tell me you all slept through that two nights ago? Everything in the house suddenly went _cold,_ like someone threw all the windows open. And then... I heard... a weird voice. A heavy one, like a man's."  
  
Rusl held his tongue from making another one of the same jokes before she finished.  
  
"You can't tell me there's a reasonable explanation for _that."_  
  
"Then, how about a deal?" The swordsman finally offered. "If you can measure the times in which these disturbances occur, I'll join you for a stakeout. I'd like to hear this for myself before we take any unnecessary action involving Ilia."  
  
"Fine with me."  
  
He shook hands in accord with the hot-tempered warrior - who was only _now_ beginning to simmer down - hoping that this really were the end of the bad news he'd conveyed to the Ordonian mayor.  
  
'Just you wait.' Ashei promised, lost in her own train of thought.  
  
'... I'm gonna find out what's happening. _With or without their help.'  
_

* * *

With a sharp breath, Link resurfaced into a bedraggled version of his human form from under the waterline of the Eldin Springs - snatching his hat from the water as it started to float away. Although he'd known that the portal were located here, he'd had a sneaking suspicion that _someone_ had moved it a little further back than usual.  
  
_'Oops.'_ Midna giggled at him beneath the rippling surface.  
  
"I'll show you 'oops' the next time you're on my back." He smirked.  
  
The swordsman quickly scanned the shoreline of the lagoon, feeling thankful, more than ever, that the streets of Kakariko were not particularly busy this evening. After taking a second to recollect himself, he waded out of the shallows and squeezed some of the water from his tunic... and then, made a mad dash for the Sanctuary.  
  
Link couldn't have waited much longer to see the look on Shad's face when he told him the work was done and the riddle might finally be solved. And despite the _urgency_ of the war, this had ended up being his primary source of motivation for burning through the task in a single day.  
  
But as the hero called out into the vacant chambers below, he'd been met with nothing but... silence.  
  
"You are out of luck once again, I believe..." Renado advised him from the ground floor. "Though, before you arrived here, Shad and the ruins were practically inseparable."  
  
"I'll bet." Link laughed. He'd then turned around and angled himself closer to the nearest flames, taking advantage of the moment to dry off the rest of his clothes. "If anything, I would've thought he'd moved in there by now."  
  
"... It takes a rare and dedicated person to come so far out of their element, that much is clear. And I can see why Telma might have brought him on board despite not being trained in the way of combat. Perhaps you might try looking for the scholar in the upper concourse of the village?"  
  
_"Oh._ That reminds me."  
  
Wincing a little, the swordsman pulled out a sealed letter from the upper folds of his shirt. He'd remembered Telma's face as she'd thrown it to him with all the warmth of a glacier, giving Ashei a run for her money. This look had also lead him to believe that she wouldn't have minded so much if the letters had bled from the springs.  
  
"This is... from her." He swallowed.  
  
"... I see."  
  
Link glanced down at the letter and then up again at Renado's face as he took it, finding it impossible to read the older man as he turned the envelope over in his hands.  
  
"Is, uh... everything okay? She seemed pretty annoyed when she gave it to me. And I thought you two were... pretty close?"  
  
Suddenly, the shaman looked up to meet his eyes. **  
  
**_'Uh-uh._ Don't go there.' Midna cautioned him. 'This is between adults and you've got better news to deliver - to someone who actually wants to hear it.'  
  
"It will be alright, Link." The older man replied, rather gravely. "... We all must live with the choices we make. Even if they are painful, at times."  
  
"Oh... I-I'm sorry. But hang in there! You're both good people... and you deserve to be happy?" Chuckling nervously, the swordsman then made his way to the door and slipped out of the building, leaving the mysterious man to his devices.  
  
He soon followed the weathered scaffolding that ran along the side of the mountain, taking the opportunity to run and jump over the precarious rooftops.  
  
'Not to be _overly_ romantic but... happiness is such a frivolous concept.' Midna had lamented in his ear. 'Imagine having the time to worry about these issues when you've got a whole village to rebuild or a business to run! There's a war going on... or did they conveniently forget that? He-llo!'  
  
"Y'know, people can be worried about _more_ than one thing at a time." Link defended. "And Telma and Renado work harder than anyone. They've kept whole communities going through this whole thing, even after they both lost their partners."  
  
'... Oh, smart boy. You managed to pick up on that? Your barkeep does a great job at hiding it.'  
  
The hero smiled morosely, ignoring the fact that he'd been underestimated once again.  
  
"That picture Telma hangs above the fireplace in the tavern? ... Yeah, I saw it. I also got the impression that she used to run the business with him, until something... to do with the civil war happened? I'm sure the others could tell me more but... it's not really my place."  
  
As he held the conversation with his hidden counterpart, Link ditched the mountain path for the abandoned house where he'd found the frazzled scholar the previous night. In the dingy room, his eyes settled upon the familiar ancient text that was now tucked into the middle of a transcription laid out on the desk. However, there was still no sign of Shad.  
  
Damn, he'd thought.  
  
But with the coast clear, Link decided to continue the exchange.  
  
"... And even though you told me to be careful, Midna, I'm about to prove to you the difference happiness can make. The war shouldn't put an end to people's dreams. It might even be their only chance to make them happen."  
  
The imp felt her breath hitch from the shadows, unable to reach out and stop him in his tracks for fear of the scholar suddenly emerging from nearby.  
  
So, _this_ was why Link was so excited about embarking onto the next stronghold, however out of reach it was, she'd grimly realised. And she'd known better than anyone his innate fear of not being able to feel the ground at his feet. That prospect alone should've been enough to blunt his enthusiasm.  
  
'You're not... thinking of bringing the scholar up into the Sky, are you?'  
  
The mischievous blonde threw a smile her way, confirming the dangerous plan without a word.  
  
'... You _are,_ aren't you.' She continued faintly, as the ridiculousness of the situation dawned upon her. 'Wow. I thought you hit peak stupidity when you nearly got yourself shot as a wolf... but _this_ _is...!'_  
  
"Hey. Listen. He'll be safe with me up there, so there's no use in you getting worked up over it, Midna. We've put up with harder conditions and I haven't failed a mission yet." He'd said, in an infuriatingly neutral tone.  
  
Although most of her answers were heavily veiled in sarcasm and flippancy, the dark sorceress had found herself unable to control her anger as she veered down the path of heightened responsibility. This went against everything she had _just_ said about keeping the other humans at a safe distance.  
  
And, in comparison to liberating Hyrule from Zant's control, filling in the gaps of its history seemed utterly superfluous.  
  
_'No, Link - YOU listen to me now!_ ' She snapped.  
  
'How dare you make sneaky little plans like this behind my back? We don't need to be babysitting while we're hunting the final Mirror shard...! And that defenceless man is just as likely to trip on his shoelaces and fall into a pit, or something. This just _spells_ disaster.'  
  
"I won't be babysitting anyone." Link said without blinking. "Shad's smart, he can look after himself... and he won't be coming with us to the more dangerous areas, if it can be helped. When we're done, the two of us get to return home with our main missions completed! It's a win-win situation."  
  
Midna sighed audibly from the shadows.  
  
'... Are you sure this isn't... some purely selfish fantasy of yours?'  
  
"No way! This is his lifelong _dream!"_ He'd argued back fiercely. "Haven't you ever wanted something that _wasn't_ revenge, that badly? And Shad's spent all this time caring for Ilia while I've been away. He deserves to see the Sky for himself... after everything good that he's done. I'm making it happen."  
  
'I am NOT agreeing to this.'  
  
"... Well, what are you gonna do about it?"  
  
She'd noticed that Link was now grinning at her, which felt particularly abrasive against her mocking exterior.  
  
"You won't be able to teleport him home either, 'cause he's not like me or Zelda, who can move through the Twilight... or some piece of bridge sitting in the desert. You also need me to find the Mirror! So, are you gonna stop us or help us through it?"  
  
'What do you expect me to say? ... That it's going to be safe?' The imp hit back at him, sounding more wearied than angered at this stage. 'If you don't be careful, then _neither_ of you might be coming back. We're going somewhere completely untouched by humans in thousands of years. Who knows what'll be up there?'  
  
"Just _trust_ me. I can make this work."  
  
The swordsman stared into the eyes of her shadow as they shot back at him through the dark, burning with frustration. The greens of his tunic were curtailed by the shroud of the evening, contrasted perfectly against the dying embers of the lanterns.  
  
'... This is on you.' She said firmly. 'You do realise that this is the last thing we do before we face the usurper king, right? I need you to be ready for that.'  
  
"I will be, promise. I'm... here 'til the end, Midna." Link agreed.  
  
'... I know that. You haven't let me down.'  
  
As annoying as you are, she'd wanted to add. But instead, all that came to Midna were the truth of the shaman's words.  
  
'Hmmm. Well, if this is how it's gonna be, then it looks like you'll just have to live with your choices.' She shrugged. 'For your sake, I hope this works out. Certain people might be angry if he comes back with even a scratch. And she'll rip your arms off, don't you doubt that.'  
  
"Ahahaha... yeah." The swordsman agreed, nervously.  
  
As he wandered outside, he'd noticed that the sun's light had fallen deep beyond the hills at the point... and that the chill of the night air had begun to creep into the valley - prompting Link to wonder where Shad could feasibly be at such a time.  
  
His eyes drifted up and over the cliffs, instinctively seeking out the highest places that this town had to offer. And then, he remembered the conversation he'd had with the scholar that morning.  
  
"The spring!" He'd suddenly grinned.

* * *

Shad sank into the shimmering waters of the mountaintop, feeling the heat of the earth begin to soothe the stiffness in his writing hand, along with the weaker areas of his back. He'd since stripped down to all but his undergarments, with his ruffled shirt hanging loosely against a nearby rock - and his glasses, which were prone to fogging, were propped carefully nearby along the shore.  
  
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply at the warm vapours before the sound of footsteps from nearby roused his attention. Looking a little more tired than usual, Link eventually walked into vision from the nearby path that ran haphazardly along the buildings below.  
  
"Oh, Link! Good evening!" Shad welcomed. He went to stand up, but then - upon suddenly remembering the fact that he were down to nothing but the _essentials -_ he'd bent over and hid himself in the waters once again.  
  
"I-I apologise that you, er, had to catch me like this."  
  
"H-Hey! Shad! I looked _everywhere_ for you!" The swordsman smiled. "I need to tell you about the owls, I-"  
  
But before he went to tread into the spring, he stopped short, remembering the fact that he'd _just_ dried himself off after Midna's little prank.  
  
"... I'm afraid that the acoustics up here are rather dreadful with the moving water." The scholar called out, raising his voice over the rippling blue expanse that surrounded him. "Perhaps... you'd care to join me, and then we could talk properly? The heat works wonders for exhaustion."  
  
"Um, sure. If that wouldn't be too... uh, uncomfortable for you?"  
  
Link winced a little after the faux pas he'd pulled in the study by stripping down to sleep in comfort.  
  
Although - for the first time _ever_ \- it seemed that the older man was without a shirt... and the occasion hadn't been lost on his more athletic counterpart, who bit his lip and averted his gaze whenever he moved. Not that Shad would've been able to notice the stares. But for somebody who sat at a desk all day, his arms and upper chest were fairly toned.  
  
Midna would certainly have something to say about this later.  
  
"Nonsense." He'd scoffed, gesturing to the water. "... Did I not say that I would show you around my personal retreat? This is it."  
  
"... Alright. But maybe you'll wanna turn around this time? " The swordsman winked at him. The playful tone caught Shad off-guard and he blushed as he shielded his eyes with a hand, more so out of courtesy than necessity.  
  
Once he'd carefully hung up the tunic and his boots, placing them on a rock near the city man's own bundle of fancier clothing, Link finally stepped into the shallows and waded into the deeper area of the spring. He then sat next to the scholar, who'd jumped a little as the younger man tapped him on the shoulder - signalling the fact that it was finally _safe_ to look.  
  
Shad carefully lifted his hand from his eyes before he asked, "So, am I to believe that you've brought news about the statues, then?"  
  
"I have. Really good news, that is! Ahaha, _sorry_ if that wasn't clear from how... careful I'm being." Link stumbled, correcting his tone. "Are you feeling better about it all, Shad? You definitely seem... different from this morning."  
  
His friend nodded quietly, flashing a gentle smile over the stirring waters.  
  
"I translated as much of the ancient text as I could. _Without_ burning the midnight oil, that is."  
  
"And do you plan to, later?"  
  
"Perhaps." He'd sighed, already feeling the return of the writing cramps in his hand. "However, I was beginning to wonder if... the time might be better spent away from the desk."  
  
"That's pretty unlike you."  
  
"So it is! But when the Sky book explained the roles of the deities to me in further detail, I knew then that it would be wiser to wait for _your account_ before adding to my notes. You are, after all, shaping our history Link..."  
  
"It's not just me." The hero fumbled, feeling weighed down by the guilt of ditching him earlier. "All of us are. The Resistance is moving Hyrule out of this conflict. Especially you, Shad. You cared about saving its history when nobody else even thought to look."  
  
Shad smiled at him again, although this time with a lingering thread of regret in his eyes.  
  
All the while, Link couldn't help but find himself marvelling at just how _different_ the other man looked without his trademark glasses. It were such a small and minute change, but free of those round frames, he'd seemed... far more vulnerable and exposed. His cheeks were flushed, though just a little sunken, perhaps due to all the nights spent on his research, and the area beneath his lower lids were shadowed with grey.  
  
But none of this dulled the beauty of those unique eyes, or the warm colours in his hair. Or that crooked smile.  
  
"This was my father's dream, initially... but I _do_ appreciate the sentiment, old boy." He offered quietly, coming back from the brink of a sombre thought. "Though, at times it can feel like there is scarce little beyond our roles in this conflict. I am certain that you must tire of it also... but you do a wondrous job of showing otherwise."  
  
"... I try not to think _too_ much about it." Link admitted. "Even if the war's taken most of my identity at this point. But moments like _these -_ they're enough to get me through. I can put up with anything, as long as I get to come back to you and Ilia and Ashei... and everyone back at the tavern."  
  
Shad regarded him with a glimmer of amusement.  
  
"We do have quite the strange group, don't we?"  
  
The swordsman _had_ noticed that their conversation was veering away from any mention of the research or statues from earlier today... but he'd played along without reservation, conscious of the fact that they were indeed sharing in a moment of healing.  
  
He'd also wondered if maybe it were the blessing of Eldin in these waters, which had brought their pressures to a standstill.  
  
Looking up, he'd then noticed the moon beginning to rise over the edge of the valley, saturating the world below it in a particularly warm glow. The golden light soon transformed the vapours of the springs, which rolled away into the sky like wisps of smoke. Shad feared that his vision might've compromised such beauty but he'd still made some blurry effort to admire the celestial beacon.  
  
Though, he'd wondered how it might've looked over the city, instead.  
  
Meanwhile, Link could not be happier that they were indeed so removed from that part of the world. He'd always felt more himself out here - _in the wild_. But he'd also known that this were not a sentiment shared by the scholar, who seemed more preoccupied with the stars than the desolate places in which they shined brightest.  
  
"... You know, it really is nice up here. I can see why you like it." He'd then said, in the spirit of relaxation. "But I'm also kinda surprised that you've gotten so into it. I know that this place isn't exactly your idea of... comfort."  
  
The swordsman coughed as he glanced around at the dusty landscape, which had also seemed rather alien to him in comparison to the Southern woods.  
  
"Haha! I might be from the city but I'm not afraid of a bit of dirt... or all the incessant climbing it took to get up here." The scholar smirked. "You ought to understand from traveling everywhere, do you not? That one must follow the customs of the area in order to be fully immersed. And I must say, this does make for a more interesting work environment."  
  
"But... you still miss town, don't you? It's where you... most belong."  
  
"... It is not _so_ much the place, as it is the people there." He agreed; feeling somewhat moved that the hero recognised his homesickness. "And, although you were _too_ polite to say anything about it yesterday, I do miss the odd glass of wine."  
  
Link laughed bitterly and pulled a face. "Ugh. I know that I wouldn't. Uh, don't tell anyone about this but Ashei gave me some of... _whatever_ it is that she carries around with her on our assignment." He'd then cringed and shook his head, feeling the imprint of the liquor's burn in his throat.  
  
Suddenly, it was Shad's turn to laugh. "I suppose I don't need to _ask_ to know what that experience was like."  
  
"Goddesses, it was bad. How is she still... _alive_ after drinking that? What's her secret?"  
  
"Oh. Well, I suppose there's no hiding it from you now, but our dear warrior is one of the undead." The scholar explained, with the most serious expression he could muster. "She has no real need of food or drink and runs purely on spite. I would ask that you refrain from attacking her, though. We'd be terribly upset to lose such a fine asset to our organisation."  
  
The swordsman almost laughed so hard that no sound actually came out of his mouth, and he proceeded to hide most of his grin in his hands.  
  
"I'll do my best _not_ to. She's looking great for somebody of that, um... condition, though. Fights even better for it too."  
  
The scholar noticed the compliments and raised an eyebrow, despite the obviousness of his friend's skill... and her bewitching appearance. As much as she would've absolutely bitten his head off at the latter claim.  
  
_"... I say,_ would your first drink happen to be from the same night that you, uh... omitted the details of... for fear of death?" He then asked, feeling more daring than usual.  
  
"Details? Of what?"  
  
Link suddenly looked towards him, tilting his head at the strange tone Shad had adopted. But the other man had found himself unable to read whether he were simply playing dumb to avoid trouble... or whether he _genuinely_ had no idea of what was being referred to.  
  
"... I-I apologise, Link. It appears I was being _overly_ curious and I would not want to cause embarrassment to either of you... haha."  
  
"Ohh, you mean the _snow in!"_ He recalled, with a grin. "Ahaha! Why didn't you just say so? I don't actually think it's that bad... even if Ashei threatened to end me, over it. So, you wanna know what happened then, huh?"  
  
Shad had absently brought a hand over his face, as he'd blushed and nodded - having already tried and failed to back off. The prospect of solving this mystery had sent him into an agitated state; and he knew now that he'd have to make peace with _any_ of the information that was about to come out, if he were to ever seem normal about it.  
  
The swordsman studied his reaction with a bent eyebrow before he continued.  
  
"It wasn't anything, um... improper." He began, nervously. "We were too injured and exhausted to dig ourselves out and the fire wasn't really cutting it. So... we ended up keeping each other warm. And at first I was... _really_ worried I'd do the wrong thing and end up losing my head... but she ended up being cool about it. And we made friends. We'd spoken for a bit, had some alcohol... Ashei fell asleep on me and then I closed my eyes, next minute it was morning."  
  
"... Oh. No. _Oh, dear._ After all of this time... and the manner in which I acted...!" Shad muttered, his eyes widening in shock.  
  
"Was that a weird thing for you to hear about your friend? I'm... sorry."  
  
"No, Link, I've made a terrible mistake! I was under the impression that y-you and Ashei were... _intimate_ with each other. I-If you catch my meaning...?"  
  
"... Wh...? Oh. OH."  
  
The reality of the implications dawned on the younger man and he turned so red, that even the visually challenged scholar was able to pick it up.  
  
"And I may have... lost my temper over it, some weeks ago." Shad confessed, in a panic. "N-Not that it was my place to do so... and I ended up apologising for it in earnest. But you would both be free to _pursue_ such a thing, if it ever came to be...! I-In fact, I would fully support you both in such an endeavour-"  
  
"Shad, I've never even kissed anyone!" Link confessed, grabbing the back of his neck.  
  
"... Y... You never... Never? _Truly?"_  
  
"Uh, apart from Ilia - _one time_ _\- by accident -_ but is this... really why you guys were fighting all those weeks ago?"  
  
The scholar glanced at him sideways, wondering how anybody could possibly kiss somebody as dear as her unintentionally. But then, he'd taken a deep breath... fearing that the following words might land him into even hotter water than those which he currently enjoyed.  
  
"I... suppose, yes. But it was my fault, you see. Because... I was jealous."  
  
The conversation fell quiet for a moment as the swordsman took in the sounds of the mountain around them, noticing the faint echo of crickets from the valley below.  
  
Eventually, Link replied. "Really?"  
  
Now overcome with the anxiety that he'd said too much, Shad began to slink under the spring.  
  
"Can I ask you... what you were jealous of? I don't wanna get the wrong idea, I mean, if you thought I was taking your friend away. At first, I was worried that was gonna happen with you and Ilia... but those feelings went away pretty quickly, haha." _  
_  
"It is... a _little_ more complicated than that, I'm afraid." He confessed softly, after sitting back up.  
  
"... Well, I don't mind hearing you out. If it'll clear things up for you?"  
  
The Ordonian smiled back at him kindly, though he were hesitant to push the issue with Shad.  
  
However, the prospect of addressing _several weeks_ worth of odd glances - which soon escalated into touching hands... and then holding each other into place whenever the circumstances had gotten too intense - was far too good to pass up.  
  
"... I shall spare you the history lesson, for now." The scholar acquiesced after a heavy pause. "I fear that we might be here all night if I tried to untangle all of my - er... all of _the_ feelings for Ashei, but..."  
  
As the words clumsily slipped out, Shad caught himself in the grip of fear and immediately stilled his tongue. Nothing else came out of his mouth in defence and Link stared back at him, his eyes widening in shock.  
  
"Whoa, there!" He laughed, sending a playful splash the other man's way. "I KNEW it! You two don't actually hate each other!"  
  
"Of course not, wh-why would we? ... We're _friends."_ The scholar defended, meekly. "And we've since... resolved any ambiguity on that topic."  
  
"But whenever I've spoken to either of you about the other, it's like you're both being weird about it. Did you... have some kind of scary experience that put you off, or...?"  
  
"I-I... _that..._ _is..."_  
  
Shad blushed heavily as he shot a reactionary wave back at the young swordsman and all of his usual tact. He'd also found this _far_ easier to do than admitting that the single most terrifying experience he'd ever had with Ashei had actually inspired the _opposite_ effect in him.  
  
_"Please,_ Link. Let me finish. There is... more. For your ears, only."  
  
He took another deep breath before he continued. "You should know, that I also... believe _you_ to be quite the extraordinary person. You are kind, brave, and most adept. And... beautiful. I-If that is not so offensive to proclaim."  
  
Link had completely settled down at this point, with only the sound of the water around them to break up the otherwise deafening quiet. "Why would that be bad? I thought the same thing about you, when we met." He offered, unflinchingly.  
  
"I feared that you might've been joking when you told me as such." Shad laughed. "Though, it were... most pleasant, to hear."  
  
"I'm glad."  
  
"Ah, but I am losing track of myself! What I am trying to say - and am failing _spectacularly_ at - is that I..." He stopped again, trying to drown out the feeling of his heart beating in his ears. "I admire you greatly, Link."  
  
"When you say admire, you mean...?"  
  
"I... have feelings for you."  
  
Link went still for a moment as he let the words sink in. Though he'd fought it from _showing_ on his face, the truth was that Shad had sent him into a state of quiet euphoria.  
  
"And - w-well - I suppose I have no _right_ to... but I thought I might be upfront about it... for _once in my life._ Because I feel as though I could trust you with anything! If this wouldn't ruin our friendship, that is. I... uh, _pray_ that it doesn't."  
  
"So, it doesn't bother you that I'm a man?" He'd then asked slowly, looking more vulnerable than ever.  
  
"... Not any more than it would for one to be a woman, no." Shad answered, heavily. "I understand that this may not exactly be the most _common_ manner of doing things. But to that point, I am... entirely unconcerned. And so, there it is. I... enjoy the company of others as they are."  
  
To his immeasurable surprise, the young swordsman moved over, sitting close enough to the scholar so that their shoulders were touching. He smiled as he leaned forward, letting the demands of the world evaporate in the heat around him.  
  
"Well, I really like you, Shad. A lot. In _that_ way _,_ if that wasn't clear _._ "  
  
"You... you _do?_ _Oh..."_  
  
Their voices grew quieter as they'd fallen silent, leaning gently against each other at the water's edge. The rich blues of the water seemed to illuminate Link's face, playing brightly in his eyes, which had caught Shad's attention before he reached for the swordsman's hand.  
  
They squeezed each other for a moment before Link leaned in closer and rested his head against his collarbone. The scholar, in turn, then pressed his chin against the other man's dark, golden hair.  
  
"Is it... alright with you if we sit like this?" He'd asked.  
  
_"Goddesses, what a relief._ I feared that I might be over-stepping my boundaries, but... yes. Of course you may, old boy."  
  
And then, for a time, neither of them moved.  
  
"... There's a lot of stuff going on that I can't talk about, yet." The hero said softly, interrupting the silence. "About the war. And I'm... not really in a position to be making promises to anyone outside of that. Even though I've got _one_ last selfish trick up my sleeve, once we get out of here. Don't worry, you'll love it."  
  
"Selfish? You? Perish the thought." Shad chuckled. His voice reverberated through his chest as he spoke, creating an odd sensation against the side of Link's face. "I have never met anyone more determined to help others. Surely, we would be lost without you."  
  
The hero had to stop himself from arguing against the truth of the matter; that there was a chance he _might not_ be coming back, and that he'd barely envisioned a future beyond surviving the final battle.  
  
And that all of this might end up hurting anyone unlucky enough to be involved with him...  
  
Just like Ilia.  
  
But for tonight, he refused to let the conflict win.  
  
He pushed aside the scathing voice of the Hero's Shade, the regrettable demands placed upon him by Midna, and the ghastly image of Hyrule Castle and dug his heels into the moment of peace before him.  
  
"Um... but what I _wanted_ to say though, was that I'm still here for you... in any way that you need, Shad. Even outside of all the stuff that's going on. I just... really needed you to know that. You and Ilia are special to me."  
  
"... I could not tell you how thankful I am to hear that. And although my words must pale _terribly_ in comparison... I... must tell you that I also feel the same." The scholar concurred. "... Perhaps, once everything is returned to normal, we could... spend some more time together?"  
  
The younger man glanced up at him calmly before he nodded, his hair scratching lightly against his skin. "I'd like that."  
  
"But - forgive me if I am being obtuse - you are saying that for _now..._ it would be difficult for you to be more, yes? I just wanted to be certain - so that I don't do anything to make you... uncomfortable."  
  
"... Yeah. I'm... really sorry."  
  
"Oh, Link. There will be no more apologising to me. Did I not promise I'd be here for you, in any capacity?" Shad's tone had perked up from one where he'd felt like a mass of nerves, into a voice of familiar levity. He smiled softly as he brushed the other man's hair out of the way with his fingers.  
  
"... If you like, we could stay here a while and foolishly pretend that there is no war. Just two people, with only their plans for the future!"  
  
"But there's a finished Sky Book with your name on it." Link teased. "Not that I literally wrote it in there, but I mean... I have my destiny to fight for Hyrule and _this_ discovery was always meant to be yours, I think."  
  
"Destiny can wait!" The scholar rebuffed, though his face began to twitch with anticipation. Suddenly the adrenaline that'd fuelled _years_ of reading came back to him - and the mystery of the Sky was beginning to hijack his mind.  
  
"You're thinking about the ruins now, aren't you?" The swordsman said with a knowing smirk. "Did you wanna head down there, then?"  
  
"Ah, haha! Yes, old boy." Shad admitted, chuckling at how easily he'd been read.  
  
"I would like that very much."

* * *

It had felt so much _darker_ than usual in the cavern on this night, perhaps due to the absence of the bright sky to light up their surroundings. But this didn't stop Link and Shad from rushing down there immediately - enlivened with a giddiness that had taken hold of them since the springs.  
  
The swordsman marvelled at the manner in which Shad's face lit up as he tried sounding out the new, alien Sky characters against the blank spaces of the book.  
  
At first, the guardian before him _rumbled_ \- drawing a gasp from his lips as his hands nearly lost the text altogether... but he'd continued on, afraid to stop the words as they reached the ancient stone. The ruins around them flooded with a brightness that emanated from the owl as it transformed into one of its previous forms, which were still scattered all over Hyrule to this day.  
  
"Awesome, Shad! You did it _again!"_ Link cheered loudly.  
  
"... But... what does this mean?" The scholar blinked, rubbing the residual flash out of his eyes. "How in the blazes does this help us?"  
  
But then, the hero immediately swung the Dominion Rod at the statue, causing the etches that ran along it to come alive with a dazzling light as he lead it away. With the path before them clear, they descended carefully down the steep staircase into a new room, illuminated by the slivers of moonlight that shone down through the decaying ceiling.  
  
**_"... This is."_**  
  
Shad slowly walked forward and stared up at the contraption before him.  
  
Of all the things he'd imagined finding down here - perhaps a mural or a text that had hidden the _next_ clue toward the path to the Skies - the Sky Cannon of legend seemed most unlikely.  
  
And yet, here it was, now, shining with all the colours of the night.  
  
"Is that the thing you were talking about at the bar?" Link had asked him casually.  
  
"... Indeed, I believe it is." He murmured.  
  
But the scholar's expression was awe-struck;  _stunned_  beyond the limitations of his own lifetime.  
  
'You _got_ it!' Midna suddenly chimed in the hero's ear, keen to commandeer the discovery for herself. 'Well done, Link! Now we need to get it to someone who can fix this pile of junk. A cannon expert, if you can figure that out.'  
  
"Junk, you say?!" Shad snapped up, hastily readjusting his glasses in the process. "Please, you must first consider the potential, Link! This was once our _history,_ our connection to the place where all Hylians were said to have originated from! Lost many generations ago to the hubris and neglect of mankind-"  
  
"Hey! _I_ didn't call it that...! Uh..."  
  
"... Then... oh... I do apologise, I must be hearing things." The scholar corrected with a frown.  
  
After a brief silence, in which Link knew what had to be done, he'd found himself contemplating the most _tactful_ way of separating a lifelong-devout from the discovery of his lifetime... before Midna had anything else to say about him sabotaging the mission.  
  
As much as pained him to do so.  
  
"Shad." He then began quietly. "Could you... close your eyes? And I need you to promise me... not to open them for anything until I say so. Even if it starts to feel weird in here. Please?"  
  
"... Of course, old boy." Shad obliged, dutifully turning himself around as he did so.  
  
Allowing the mysterious hero to work without objection had gotten them both this far, and if things were to ever _work_ between them, he'd have to place his trust Link one more time.  
  
But once he'd closed his eyes, the ground began to _rumble_  and quake with a startling intensity... throwing him out of his thoughts.  
  
_'What in all of the heavens...?'_  
  
And then, the still air of the room shifted, coming _alive_ all at once. Shad drew in a sharp breath as he clenched his hands, now frozen into the place where he'd stood.  
  
"H-Hey...!"  
  
Link grabbed both of the scholar's hands to reassure him after picking up on the telltale signs of his anxiety.   
  
"Don't worry. You're safe."  
  
"Th... Thank you, Link." The scholar breathed. He'd then squeezed back onto his hands tightly, enjoying their warmth... along with the sensation of his callouses which ran thick along the tips of his fingers. It was enough to distract him from the terrifying sensations of the room. Even if the swordsman's palms had begun to gather with sweat.   
  
And with the cannon salvaged and Midna now gone, there was only one thing left for Link to do.  
  
"... You can open them now." He'd instructed.  
  
But just as Shad did so, he felt something new and unexpected, as Link came in close and stood up on his toes, nervously pressing his lips against his own.  
  
He'd moved his mouth, slowly and carefully, doing his best to emulate what he'd seen other people doing in the streets. His lips were a little rough against the scholar's skin - who'd certainly _noticed_ their chapped texture - but he delighted in the affectionate gesture nonetheless... and pulled him into a close embrace once he'd returned the favour.  
  
Being a more experienced man hadn't helped Shad in the slightest, and he'd struggled with the idea of pulling away just as much as it had wracked his brain to hold off on being _too_ strong - and _too_ demanding on someone carrying the weight of the world.    
  
"... I'll be back as soon as I can. Maybe in a few days." Link promised, glad that Shad were now totally oblivious to the disappearance of the centrepiece he'd been hunting all these years.  
  
"And... what happens then?" The scholar asked, breathlessly.  
  
"You're coming with me to the Sky."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: ... :O
> 
> Thank you all for your patience, it's been a very busy couple of weeks and I hope you've enjoyed the "downtime" in this chapter. The next one will have more action! ... (Sadly, that is not a euphemism xD) 
> 
> I'll also do my best to keep the updates prompt. This project has definitely taken on a mind of its own though, so I can at least promise you all that it'll be seen through to completion.


	21. Here, There Be Monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link turns Shad's lifelong dream of visiting the City in the Sky into a reality. 
> 
> But what manner of beasts lay out of reach, just beyond the clouds?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: It's adventure time! ~
> 
> Link probably wishes that he could just go on a normal date, like visit a cafe or something. But Shad is living his best life and nobody is going to stop him.

**Chapter 21 - Here, There Be Monsters  
**  
Link paced anxiously along the edge of Lake Hylia, which had looked brilliant in the morning sun, some three days after he'd vanished from Kakariko. He took advantage of the long moment that the scholar spent staring over the Sky Cannon in order to mentally prepare himself for what was about to happen.  
  
And this time, the delay had been particularly torturous for Shad - who'd thought of nothing _but_ him in the brief window of absence. He'd discovered that writing alone at his desk now completely failed to offer the same escape he once clung to. And, somewhat shamelessly, he'd also caught himself zoning out on several occasions... now frequented by the sensation of those shy lips moving against his, and butterflies that had nowhere else to escape but through the trembling in his hands or in the heat that rolled off of his face.  
  
However, true to his word the hero returned on the afternoon of the second day. And after watching the scholar send off the rest of his belongings to Castle Town on the next carriage, all that were left for him to do was to escort the man himself to Lake Hylia for the perilous voyage ahead.  
  
The night's ride to the lake had been _interesting..._ to say the least.  
  
Shad, who was still thrown by the new dynamic in their relationship - or by horseback riding in general - had beamed at the opportunity to place his arms around his new flame as they rode together. But ultimately, the excitement was rather short-lived, as the rough journey had given him quite the bout of motion sickness.  
  
"Are you feeling alright, Shad?" Link had comforted him during a much-needed break.  
  
"Y-Yes, old boy... I'm quite fine... really..." He'd panted.  
  
"... I uh, should probably let you know that there are Stalhounds in this area of the field at night. I don't mind holding them off for a while though, if you're still feeling unwell...?"  
  
"There are undead out _here -_ in this _precise area?"_ Shad paled. He'd looked at Link twice to ensure that he _hadn't_ been joking before immediately hoisting himself back up onto Epona - thoroughly conscious of the fact that living behind the city walls had made him a prime target for pranks such as these.  
  
"Heavens _,_ let us be on our way, then...!"  
  
Eventually they'd made their way down into the water basin where the Sky Cannon was situated onto an island, fully repaired in all its immense glory. Then, as the sun finally rose over the water, the serene beauty of the lake came alive with shimmering hues of light blue and purple. It seemed almost a shame to leave it all behind.  
  
"Well, this is it." Link laughed nervously. "... I can't promise what it'll be like up there... or even if the cannon's gonna _work_ the way that we planned. But I've put it into the best hands Hyrule has to offer! Just like you with the Dominion Rod. So, I think our chances are pretty good."  
  
This response had elicited a sideways glance from Shad.  
  
"You've... _not_ used this before? Not even on a practice run?"  
  
"Nope! No time!" He said, running a hand through his yellow hair. "So, are you... ready for this?"  
  
The scholar laughed far more heartily than usual, wiping the residual tears from his eyes before he'd patted himself down to check for the essentials. And they were all there; the notebook, the sketchbook _,_ writing supplies, his spare glasses and Ashei's flask... in the event that everything went _very_ wrong and he needed to smooth his transition from the mortal realm.  
  
"Goddesses, Link. May I have your permission to speak freely?"  
  
"Always."  
  
"I think you are completely, and utterly, barking mad. A genius, nonetheless, but... _mad._ And perhaps... the most exceptional person I have ever had the good fortune of meeting. You've brought us this far. I am... as ready as I'll ever be."  
  
The swordsman smiled as he held out his arm, locking determinately onto Shad's eyes.  
  
"Then hold onto me. As much as you can! And, uh... _don't let go_ for the love of Nayru. Seriously, don't. You might end up sort of..."  
  
"Terribly maimed or deceased?" Shad chuckled as he wrapped his own arm around the younger man, gripping fiercely onto his gloved hand. "... I should be so lucky."  
  
"Trust me Shad, that's better than finding out what'll happen to me in town if I head back there alone."  
  
_'... Come on,_ Link. I don't like this at all.' Midna whispered urgently into his ear, feeling rather unnerved by this latest development in their plans. 'How are we supposed to work up there if he can _hear me?_ And how do you know he hasn't been eavesdropping on us the entire time? It's not too late to ditch him, you know-'  
  
"Aww, don't be scared." Link teased, directing this at his shadowy counterpart more so than the anxious man standing shakily at his side.  
  
"I could not be _less_ scared!" The scholar laughed sarcastically. "Flying through the air without so much as a parachute or even an inkling as to where we will land? Why, this is precisely the sort of thrill my research was lacking."  
  
"Great! At least one of us is into it... cause I'm, uh... really not the best with heights."  
  
_"You're_ having second thoughts about this?!"  
  
"We're going in, now. Hold on."  
  
Then suddenly, the hero whipped out a curiously lethal spring-loaded device, that most resembled the talons of a hawk. But before Shad could even ask what it was for, it shot them forward with the speed of an arrow - pulling the pair sharply through the air and straight into the loading core of the Sky Cannon. Link certainly wasn't kidding around when he said that he'd _really_ needed to hold on.  
  
In all but a few seconds the machinery around them came alive and the cannon angled itself up into the air, locking onto its hidden mark - before...  
  
**_BANG!!_**  
  
They were launched mercilessly into the Sky with such violent and immense force that Shad had found it impossible to scream, let alone get in another breath of air. Adrenaline surged through his body and enlivened him down to the fingertips, causing his lungs to seize and his mind to grip desperately onto consciousness. Some distant part of him _knew_ that if he'd gone under, then there was no guarantee that he'd still be holding onto Link... if and when, he ever woke up.  
  
"AHHHHHH!!!"  
  
At his side - and unfortunately, the polar opposite - the swordsman clenched his eyes shut and screamed _so_ loudly that it nearly drowned out the deafening sound of the wind in their ears. He'd grabbed wildly onto Shad, with both arms now instead of one, making it even harder for him to breathe and unwittingly sabotaging their likelihood of a safe landing.  
  
There was a tipping point of the journey, in which the scholar absently noted that they were, in fact, falling back down through the clouds from some ungodly height... towards what appeared to be an island floating in the sky below.  
  
Closer.  
  
And closer it came.  
  
Until the last thing he remembered was a sudden, frigid plunge...  
  
Link and Shad crashed loudly into an ancient basin of freshwater that had all but _exploded_ under their fast trajectory - catching them more efficiently than any cloud in the sky. The swordsman felt the air in his lungs squeezed inwards by the immediate pressure of the water, wondering wildly for a moment where it had actually come from, before he'd launched himself off the bottom of the pool and surfaced in one piece...  
  
_Functional,_ though thoroughly shaken.  
  
"... Shad?" He spluttered incoherently, turning himself around as he treaded the water. The shock of flying had made him light-headed, and it was difficult to get his bearings, let alone try to find somebody who was missing.  
  
"Shad! Where are you? SHAD?!!"  
  
He'd then looked down and - _to his immense relief_ \- spotted the scholar not too far away from where he'd landed, lying listlessly against the carved tiles along the bottom. Link took a deep breath of air and dived under, grabbing one of Shad's loose arms before swimming him over to a row of submerged steps.  
  
After surfacing with the unconscious man, the hero then pulled him onto a patch of grass; upon which the sun shone bore down heavily, unimpeded by any tree or mountain. Next, he'd laid him out on his back and inspected the scholar closely for any signs of bruising or trauma, who - aside from being totally drenched - appeared to be in immaculate condition.  
  
... But this hadn't changed the _very_ alarming fact that he was no longer breathing.  
  
'Your emotional support human appears to be unconscious...' Midna sighed quietly from the shadows. 'Probably from the way you were strangling him all the way up here. Poor guy couldn't catch a single breath!'  
  
"Shad, wake up! ... We made it. We're here in the city, now. SHAD!!" Link cried out, shaking him by the shoulder before trying to prop his body upwards.

"You have to _breathe! ..._ DAMNIT!"  
  
"Gracious!" Called out a new voice.  
  
The Hylian slowly turned his attention up, utterly bewildered by the fact that someone familiar had addressed him in this moment.  
  
"It looks as though you weren't too far behind us after all, brave adventurer."  
  
"... Ooccoo?" He gasped.  
  
"You won't believe this, but there's a dragon raging outside the city walls! I say we should get this one inside somewhere safe before we try to revive him - or else it _just_ might snatch him up in those terrible claws."  
  
"A  _dragon?"_ Link repeated, having already hauled Shad up onto his shoulders. He lumbered forward at a painfully inefficient pace, finding it _much_ harder to support another human when they weren't able to grip or balance onto him in return. Even heavier was the knowledge that he'd just put Shad's life in far greater peril than before.  
  
'... Now, I'm no expert on how Hylians like to do things... but in _my world?_ We don't take our first dates with us into dragon lairs. You've gotta work up to that stuff.' Midna mused.  
  
"Are you gonna help us or what?!" Link hissed at her through gritted teeth.  
  
Looking ahead, he'd noticed a white-bricked building that gleamed in the light where it hadn't been overgrown by vines and grasses. Ooccoo fluttered on eagerly in front of them, directing the group to the heavily reinforced door of what appeared to be a shopfront.  
  
'... Don't tell me I _never_ do anything for you.' Midna objected as the powerful hand from her helmet crept slowly into view, shouldering most of the weight of the unconscious man as Link dragged them faster to safety.  
  
The hero haphazardly combed the skies for any sign of the apparent dragon... but just as he'd given up on the mildly irritating task, a large shadow flickered over the sun. Followed by a blood-curdling ** _screech_** \- unlike any he'd ever heard.  
  
'Silly boy.'

* * *

"His eyes are moving!" He'd heard a familiar voice say, accompanied by the vague, rhythmic feeling of pressure against his chest. But from where did were these sounds coming from? He simply couldn't tell.  
  
"Come on! Wake up, wake up... _you have to_ _wake up!!"_  
  
Though, he still couldn't shake the feeling there were somebody extremely _important_ to him on the other side of the dream, through which he could only glimpse at lights and colours...  
  
Until Shad choked suddenly.  
  
He felt water coming up out of his nose and mouth as he turned to the side to expel it, feeling entirely wretched. And then, he noticed the smooth, cold feeling of stone beneath his hands as he took in his first, _desperate_ gasps of air. He'd wondered where on earth he could possibly be... before looking up at the yellow and green shape sitting over him.  
  
"... L... Link?"  
  
"Shad! _Goddesses..._ I thought I'd _killed_ you..." The swordsman laughed, though he were wiping tears out of his eyes as he did so. He'd then collapsed backwards onto the tiles, feeling utterly overwhelmed by the relief that this emergency was over. "I'm so sorry, Shad! I didn't mean for that to happen! It was my fault... _I'm sorry."_  
  
"... Link, what is going on?" The scholar murmured as he sat up, draping his hand over the other man's shoulders in support. "Are we... dead, per chance?"  
  
Upon adjusting his glasses and glancing around the room, he'd found himself admiring the intricate carvings on the walls, which flowed synchronically into each other like the shape of the wind. Next, he'd seen that base of the building were made of some kind of smooth, polished granite, though curiously light in colour. Beams of gold lined the skeleton of the building and his eyes were drawn to a bench nearby, upon which several familiar items were displayed - such as potions, arrows and bombs...  
  
And then, he shouted in panic.  
  
_"WH-WHAT..._ _in all of the realms...?!"_ Shad gasped, nearly falling onto Link as he lurched backwards.  
  
To their side he'd noticed something that looked almost like a Cuccoo in shape and stature - and totally covered in yellow feathers - if not for its tiny face that nearly resembled that of a human's. The creature's eyes gleamed with red as it stared back at him, tilting its head with an apparent curiosity.  
  
"I say, this one is rather lively for one who was unconscious not so long ago!"  
  
This comment had come from yet _another_ one of those things, which were sitting up on the bench beside the array of goods.  
  
"Link, there are these... _strange_ _creatures_ all around us in this room! Do you not see them?! Why... why aren't you... reacting?"  
  
"If a little bit rude, unfortunately. Although, one could be forgiven if it is their first contact with the Oocca tribe. We haven't seen your kind up here in centuries!"  
  
Shad then stared right into the face of Ooccoo, who regarded the flustered Hylian some metres away from her side... and they blinked at each other in wonderment. Though he were trying hard _not_ lose it, there was something deeply unsettling about that tiny humanesque face on a bird's body.  
  
"Pardon my shouting but... are **you**... perhaps the surviving members of the Oocca?" The scholar finally enquired, after taking a moment to reign in his emotions. At the very least, the critter before him appeared to be intelligent beyond compare to any of the other animals on the surface. Except, perhaps Louise.  
  
"Indeed, that is what I am!" The fellow being nodded.  
  
"... Goddesses, they... they just seem SO different from the pictures and illustrations! Could this really be true? To put it colloquially, I-I'm... well, _I'm rather a_ _fan."  
_  
"And I am pleased to see that you are also fluent in the Hylian word. This must be the default language for those who look like you, yes? Could you imagine if this were not the case? What a pain, that would be!"  
  
_"...!"  
_  
Link watched as something clicked into place in Shad's mind, betrayed by his eyes that had lit up excitedly before he cleared his throat. And then - he began to speak in some _incomprehensible_ language, using strange sounds and inflections that anybody would've struggled to spell. Immediately, Ooccoo flapped her wings and began to mirror the language back to him. The exchange went on - with only minor pauses, in which the scholar considered his next response.  
  
"Uh... wow...!" Link praised.  
  
Even stranger, Shad seemed to have switched dialects halfway through, into something that had sounded much more decipherable and _almost_ familiar. And then the Oocca behind the counter spoke up, eliciting an amused chuckle from the scholar.  
  
Was it traditional Zoran? ... Link could barely tell, as those books had always been a rarity in his village growing up. Though apparently, that had _not_ been the case up here.  
  
"Sarqso." He'd then finalised with a grateful nod, switching languages for a third time. "We are ever so grateful for your assistance!"  
  
'Gotta say, even I'm a little impressed.' Midna hummed. '... Good job on bagging this one, Link. Beauty fades.'  
  
"Shad! What did they say to you?" Link asked him excitedly, after observing their conversations from the side.  
  
"Well first of all, they've agreed to be interviewed once I can find a place to dry my books! Which shouldn't be any problem up here - _apparently_ there are violent gusts of wind due to the presence of a winged dragon. Who knew that the Oocca would be so affable? I wonder how long they've been up here-"  
  
"Wait, so you... _know_ about the dragon, then?" The swordsman clarified, unable to hide the concern on his face. "And you're... alright with that? You're not mad that I brought you up here?"  
  
"Please, Link. There is no use in fretting over such things! Vicious as it may be." Shad smirked. This had come from the same man who'd nearly crumpled over with anguish upon meeting the hero properly for the first time, after he'd quipped at his outfit in the streets.  
  
"These are heavily reinforced buildings that have outlasted time itself! Therefore, we should be safe indoors. The most difficult task will be condensing all of the information I receive into a single book. _Blast it,_ I knew I should've brought _more_ materials with me..."  
  
"... Oh... yeah, haha."  
  
Although Link were feeling thankful to be back on board with Shad's unshakable enthusiasm, this still left one outstanding problem for him to deal with.  
  
_Slaying_ the dragon.  
  
Even worse, slaying a monster that had the power to fly away with him on its back or throw him off into the abyss, giving rise to his worst instinctive fears. And there were little other conceivable evidence to suggest that anything else in the Sky had been corrupted, beyond the emergence of this new, terrifying beast.  
  
All signs pointed to the dragon as being the source of the Mirror Shard.  
  
"Oh, and before we go..." Shad began. He'd already climbed onto his feet and reached out to help Link up off the floor, totally ambivalent to the fact that he'd nearly drowned mere minutes ago. "Apparently there is a Citadel some walking distance away outside, which has been locked in lieu of the attacks. Ooccoo would like to accompany us there."  
  
"I'm afraid that given the circumstances, it won't be much of a tour!" She relayed. "I'm terribly worried about the others. I wonder how many survivors there are?"  
  
"... Is everything _alright,_ old boy? You still seem a little... out of sorts."  
  
Without realising it, Link had been staring intently into the wall, dreaming of all the possible ways that this mission could go wrong.  
  
"Apart from you nearly drowning? ... It's fine." He'd hesitated, before holding out his hat for Ooccoo to jump into and hide, like old times. "It's gonna be wild once we get outside, especially if that thing catches us. Are you ready then, Shad?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
Sensing this trepidation in the younger man, the scholar squeezed Link's hand to reassure him as they departed for the world outside, earning a smile from the mentally exhumed swordsman. And then, they pushed through the heavy metal door, back into the harsh sunlight along the grassy strip.

* * *

After looking around for the first time, Shad squeezed onto Link even harder with excitement - basking in the sheer otherworldliness of the picture around them.  
  
They were surrounded by a group of floating islands, which were buffeted heavily in the breeze, turning a variety of panels and fans that seemed to be propelling them into place. The atmosphere was so bright that it forced Shad to squint as he observed the buildings, noticing the same white-bricked motifs and domed architecture throughout the province. Pools of water dotted paths of overgrown grasses and vines, with some of them trickling like rivers, flowing down into the world below.  
  
And the clouds around them burned brightly, like bunches of silver cotton in the sun - diminished only by the endless stretch of azure across the sky. The entire scene would've been flawless if not for the plague numbers of Kargaroks that circled menacingly overhead.  
  
"It's... beautiful." Shad breathed. "Utterly majestic."  
  
Seeing the scholar's reaction to this place compelled the swordsman into a grin, pushing whatever anxieties he still had into the recesses of his mind.  
  
"You really think so?"  
  
"Oh dear, it appears as though I might be having _a moment..."_ The scholar trailed off, facing away to hide the tears in his eyes.  
  
"Sorry but we've gotta keep it moving. It's not safe out here." Link reminded, though he smiled gently as he'd done so. "But Shad... I'm so glad that you're here. This was almost worth the land."  
  
"... Oh no, Link! I had completely forgotten! This place must be _awful_ for you considering how high up we are! I hadn't even considered-"  
  
Interrupting him, one of the violent gales that Shad had warned him about suddenly tore across the strip, causing the swordsman to gasp as he literally clung to the scholar for dear life.  
  
_"It's... ALRIGHT! I'll be alright... as long as I can't... see what's down there... but don't move!"  
  
_ They'd waited an agonising minute for the breeze to die down before continuing on toward the citadel, treading carefully along the grass as they pushed onward. Upon closer inspection, Link had also noticed that the stonewalls which ran along most of the paths in this place were, in fact, decayed in several areas... hitting him with a wave of nausea at the prospect of being blown off the edge.  
  
He then gripped even tighter onto the scholar's arm, feeling horribly embarrassed that Shad - of all people - had to see him panicking in the middle of an assignment. He'd also hoped that the rest of the Resistance wouldn't hear about this later given all of the other, far more favourable stories about him floating around in the bar.  
  
"I daresay that these gusts might not be such a problem with the two of us." Shad chuckled as he delighted in the attention.  
  
... But then, something _else_ obstructed their path.   
  
_'LINK - watch where you're going!'_ Midna shouted abruptly into his ears.  
  
A red and black striped Baba Serpent slithered up and out of the tall grasses in front of them, hissing and snapping its jaws as its blue, forked tongue flickered out through its teeth.  
  
"Get back!" Link warned, his voice jumping as he held the scholar at bay. He'd known just how terrible those needle-sharp dentures felt wrapped around the midsection of his body and followed suit to move backwards. However, the split second delay was all that it took for the Serpent to lurch forward and grab onto his leg.  
  
It imbedded itself hungrily into his shin, piercing easily through the swordsman's clothing with its terrible mouth.  
  
"AGHHH!"  
  
In a clumsy display that betrayed his usual sharpness, the younger man then fell backwards - grabbing desperately onto the grass with his hands as the Serpent dragged him closer. Its teeth were like stubborn hooks and he'd found himself panicking at the very real prospect of being dragged over the edge, more so than having his body crunched again in those jaws.  
  
It was the only thing stopping him from reaching for his sword.  
  
The hero soon found himself losing the battle to keep himself grounded as the bundles of grass slipped further out of his fingers, taunting him with the death he feared most, when suddenly - _SMACK -_ the Clawshot punched straight into the creature's mouth.   
  
Link shook his leg free and then scrambled to his feet, taking advantage of the moment that the monster was stunned to slash it into strips. The Serpent's hissing and clicking subsided as the rest of the plant then burned away, curdling under the steel that had severed its head.  
  
Though he hadn't said a word, the swordsman slowly turned to face his more studious counterpart, wearing the face of a man who was floored.  
  
"You... you _shot_ it."  
  
"I did." Shad swallowed. "It grabbed onto your leg and I just could not bear to _watch it_ , so I... uh..."  
  
"How did you know to do that?"  
  
"... I'd already observed you using this once before at the lake." Shad smirked, holding the Clawshot carefully in both of his hands. "And it just seemed a wasted opportunity _not_ to, while it was distracted. Though I do hope that bite isn't too serious, old boy... it looked dreadfully painful."  
  
"Ah... haha. They don't normally grab me like this. It's cause I was distracted-" He'd immediately cut himself off from continuing, not wanting to offend the beautiful man at his side. Or give Midna the satisfaction of being right. "Um, what I mean is... thank you, Shad. That was quick thinking."  
  
"Does it hurt?"  
  
"That's nothing, seriously. I've got tonnes of scars already, and a couple of burns... some from the ice." He laughed, stopping himself once again before the questions became too numerous.  
  
_'... I was hoping that you'd say yes, so that I could kiss it better...'_  
  
Shad bit down onto the side of his mouth, stopping himself before he would ever say something so unprofessional at work. He then went to strap the Clawshot back onto Link's belt, before the younger man pushed it back into his hands.  
  
"Here. Use it for now." He smiled, brimming with confidence. "I can cut down anything if you hit it first. If that wouldn't turn your stomach, that is... some of the monsters can get a bit uh, messy."  
  
"You are really willing to trust me with this?" He'd blinked, wondering when his peers had begun to regard him as a fighter. "I am not much in the way of combat. But I... would be honoured to do so."  
  
"Just keep those glasses on when you fire! It packs a punch." The hero teased.  
  
Soon they'd reached the door of the City itself and the pair breathed a collective sigh of relief. An overwhelming shadow of suspense lingered over the building before them, mostly due to the fact that whatever was in there hadn't been encountered by humans in their era - even for Link, who was no stranger to many of the sacred places of Hyrule.  
  
"Link, everything is going to be fine." The scholar assured, reading the faraway look in his eyes.  
  
"Stay close to me once we're in there, alright? I've made promises to people that you'd come back in one piece-"  
  
But then the winds picked up again, causing the fan structures surrounding them to shudder loudly under their might. And although they were mostly sheltered against the City doors, the two men both failed to escape the ear-splitting **shriek** that assaulted them through the air.  
  
Suddenly - coming _far too close_ for comfort - the dragon swept across the sky in a fleeting burst of red wings and dark talons that resembled onyx in the light. It swooped only inches over the path they'd only just traversed, and then the dragon then powered itself upward, flapping with such ferocity that the humans below it were buffeted in the blast.  
  
"Ooccoo! _Get the door!"_ Link urged, relinquishing the tiny creature from the protection of his hat.  
  
"Oh, good gracious!" She flapped, scattering yellow feathers in the air around them as she fussed with the City key.  
  
Shad couldn't look away as he witnessed the dragon charging towards the delicate paths that bridged the surrounding islands, failing to clear the grounds as it smashed deliberately through them. These remnant stretches of earth linking the City together were no more, and they tumbled down into the clouds below, forever removed from their homeland.  
  
"That thing! It is... actively _destroying_ this place. How DARE you!!"  
  
As the scholar shouted, his voice bounded off the buildings and flew upwards, taunting the terrible creature that circled above them.  
  
"Shad, the door's open! We have to go-"  
  
"... HOW DARE YOU DESTROY THIS CITY?! YOU VILE THING... YOU FIEND!!"  
  
"Goddesses, what are you doing?! _It's a dragon!"_  
  
It suddenly occurred to him that Ashei had warned him about this.  
  
But multiple attempts had already been made upon their lives along this perilous stretch of road, and now, Link was no longer in the mood to mess around. He latched onto Shad's shoulder and pulled him fiercely into the building just as the dragon tilted its head and plummeted down. This conspicuous movement also caught the attention of several Kargaroks, which then began to hover menacingly around the door.  
  
_"It heard you!!"_  
  
"I most sincerely hope that it DID!" Shad argued back passionately as they stumbled in through the entrance to the citadel, drawing the attention of the several Oocca who were gathered about the room. The interruption was short lived before they immediately scattered, hiding behind the various pillars and decaying structures of the building.  
  
Now the dragon was flapping its wings beyond the door, leering in at the two humans with its dark, incongruous eyes. More distracting were the enormous jaws that protruded from its face, with rows of jagged fangs and a forked tongue that curled in the air around it.  
  
Instinctively, Link's eyes darted over it for any areas of weakness, finding only that there were curious flashes of red beneath the dark chassis plating its body - matching the colour of its wings. And, upon closer inspection, he'd also noticed something strange about the tail...  
  
"LEAVE THIS PLACE AT ONCE, YOU MISCREANT...!" Shad warned, momentarily stunning some of the surrounding Kargaroks with the Clawshot. Arrows soon whistled into view from where the hero stood, felling them within the blink of an eye.  
  
"Get DOWN!!" Link commanded as the dragon drew its head back.  
  
He'd lunged for the door just as a jet of white-hot flame came pouring out of the dragon's jaws - curtailed only by the wall of impenetrable metal that came crashing down. The swordsman could still feel the heat from the other side as he leaned against it, his eyes locked angrily with the scholar.  
  
"What the hell's gotten _into_ you up here?!" He panted, looking wilder than ever in his frazzled state. Crashing into a bed of water, being thrown around in the wind and then being attacked by a carnivorous plant had definitely taken a toll on his appearance.  
  
"... Shad, you're crazy!"  
  
"I simply HAD to give it a piece of my mind!" The scholar argued back. "Did you not see how much damage it's caused in the short time we've been here? Imagine if such a thing were to be left unchecked! Why, there'd be nothing left..."  
  
"You need to be more careful!"  
  
"We were perfectly _safe_ in here, were we not?"  
  
Shad then picked himself up off of the ground and levelled with the swordsman, their voices echoing in the otherwise quiet chamber. "... Am I to stand idly by while the city is destroyed?!"  
  
"Look, we've only been here for five minutes and EVERYTHING is trying to kill you! You can't go around insulting every dangerous creature we come across!"  
  
The dragon emitted another **screech** from outside before it finally flew off, its wings thundering in the wind as it passed.  
  
"Well, Link, I did not come all this way to be scared." Shad defended, lowering his voice back down to a reasonable level. The two were now face to face, huddled against the wall in the corner of the room.  
  
Gradually, the sharp glint in the hero's eye dwindled down... his gaze softening as he took in a deep breath of relief.  
  
"... Neither did _I."_ He chastised.  
  
Ending the argument, the scholar held fast onto Link's shoulders and then pulled him onto his lips.  
  
The initial movement was a little too abrupt for Link to have ever thought it really _were_ coming from Shad, but the kiss itself was entirely different. He'd found it equal parts delicate and soothing, and embarrassingly, he'd failed to stifle a moan in response. This had only urged the scholar onward, whose soft lips pried his mouth open just a _little_ more... deepening the encounter in exactly the manner he'd refrained from doing before.  
  
After a couple of minutes of entanglement against the wall, the two finally broke away with Shad catching his breath as he'd done so - the fight now thoroughly drained out of his eyes.  
  
"... Wow, I... I can't believe you  _did_ that to shut me up." Link laughed before moving in to ruffle Shad's hair, which had been through a terrible amount of stress for one day. "... Maybe we should fight more often, if that's what it takes to get you going?"  
  
"S-Sorry, Link, I..." He fumbled, turning bright red as he faced away to collect himself. Never in his life had he grabbed onto somebody so possessively and the guilt in doing so had forced him to question his conduct.

"... I should have asked. I _always_ ask. Perhaps I am being too rash up here."  
  
"Hey, it's fine. I mean, you definitely _are_ when it comes to the monsters but there's nothing else to be sorry for. I... really enjoyed that."  
  
After a brief pause, the scholar then turned back around, adjusting his glasses with a coy glint in his eye. "... Well, if we are to die up here then let us have no regrets, yes?" He smirked.  
  
"I can work with that." Link blushed as he caught his bearings once again, now determined to get them through the city so that he could live to _remember_ such a mad encounter.  
  
"Shall we continue on, then? I simply cannot wait to see the rest of this place."

* * *

Despite another unfortunate incident - in which Link was horrified to discover that the lower areas of the city were prone to crumbling under the weight of humans and then falling into _the void_ \- the pair endeavoured to spend the rest of the journey sticking to the higher reaches of the City.  
  
They'd managed to cover most of the ground safely and efficiently, occasionally taking the time to stop and marvel at how the Oocca defied gravity by walking vertically along the walls. Breaks were also allowed for Shad to scrawl into his notebook, chatting to the various citizens as he went.  
  
"... Remember, they're more than happy to help us out if we get stuck, old boy."  
  
"Even if they lose all their feathers in the process?" Link cringed, having already grabbed one of them in a panic when the floor started to give way.  
  
"Well, we are somewhat _famous_ up here now, if that helps you to feel better about it?" The scholar assured. He'd also found himself laughing at the absurdity of the fact that these creatures were _also_ studying him.  
  
Eventually, they arrived at a spacious hallway with an incredibly high ceiling - which was obviously central to the rest of the ruin. The elaborate room broke off into three directions and held a large metal chandelier, which hung conspicuously overhead. The swordsman peered up at it and considered the four crumbling columns that surrounded it, overgrown with the same thick vines that had claimed much of the City's walls.  
  
"... This must be where we part ways, yes?" Shad smiled, breaking the hero out of his thoughts.  
  
'He _reads minds!_ That's how he's been able to hear me all this time!' Midna gasped dramatically into Link's ear.  
  
"Don't be silly!"  
  
"Silly, am I?" The scholar echoed, curiously. The other man simply laughed in an effort to recover from his slip-up.  
  
'... But seriously Link, I've been trying to get you to ditch him for the past hour. We can't keep on like this and the rest of the dungeon is only going to get harder. You'll be doing both of yourselves a favour.'  
  
"Oh, um... what I meant, was that I wasn't planning on splitting away from you so soon." Link explained. "But this area does look pretty safe. Maybe that would be best for both of us... and you can catch up on your notes? I might be gone for a while but I'll check on you when I can."  
  
The older man seemed to be glowing with endorsement as he took a seat upon the wide staircase that reached up towards the Northern door, admiring the intricate patterns that ran into the stonework.  
  
"Go, on." He beckoned. "I shan't get in the way of what you came here to do. But... Link?"  
  
"Yes, Shad?"  
  
"Please do be careful. _More_ so than an idiot scholar, trying to defend the discovery of their dreams from a fire-breathing beast. I recognise that there is a _terrible_ double-standard at play here but... you will promise me this, won't you?"  
  
"... I promise." He smiled, crouching down to give the scholar a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead before he departed to the Eastern wing. Suddenly, the prospect of traversing over ground that was prone to collapsing or clinging desperately onto the grates didn't seem so unbearable.

* * *

Evening soon fell over the clouds, transforming them from pearly white into dark, billowing sails of navy and red, laced with the dying light of the sun. The upper reaches of the atmosphere melted into a deep and flawless indigo and then, the stars burst into view - dusting the horizon with a subdued light that completely submersed the City in the Sky.  
  
With all the hours of the day now gone and his notebook filled to the last page after an interview with Ooccoo, Shad had since taken the time to simply gaze upon the world around him - though, curiously, he'd noted that by some magic the one below were impossible to glimpse from up here. He sat along an edge that opened out into a window and looked upon the celestial expanse with pure ardour.  
  
_'I never thought that such a wondrous thing would be possible for me... and yet...'_  
  
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the jingling of a chain, which sent his heart fluttering as he searched around the room; wondering _where_ it could possibly be coming from... and whether this were his cue to hide.  
  
"Hey!" Came a familiar voice. "Look up."  
  
The scholar glanced up into the ceiling where he saw the hero, suspended in the air from the chandelier.  
  
"Great Goddesses, Link!" He gasped. "How in the blazes did you get up there?"  
  
And then, watching in awe, he followed as the swordsman in green shot himself with another instrument onto the nearest set of vines, moving from pillar to pillar until he were standing right next to Shad upon the windowsill. The scholar inspected the new Clawshot in his hands, comparing it to the original before he gasped at the fact that it seemed to be identical down to the last very last etching.  
  
"It wasn't easy but I found a way up there to the dragon." The hero smiled. "Fighting it in the dark wouldn't the smartest idea though, so... I'm waiting until morning to deal with it."  
  
"You truly intend on fighting that ungodly creature _at sunrise?"_ Shad reiterated as he blinked with shock. "And you... aren't particularly worried about it? Good heavens Link, were _all_ of your other assignments like this?"  
  
"... This is why I kept everyone at a distance, Shad. It was always too dangerous to anyone else to get involved. There could be a dragon. There could also be an out-of-control snow sorceress... it's been a very unpredictable journey."  
  
The scholar wore a puzzled expression as he mulled the following question over in his head. Of course, he didn't want to seem ungrateful, but the sheer absurdity of being taken along when he was the only member of the Resistance who couldn't fight was fast becoming apparent to him.  
  
"Then, if it would not be too discourteous of me to ask... what makes _me_ so different? I carry no delusions over my capabilities. And I am certain that this was not for the purposes of a date."  
  
"Well, um, _dating_ stuff aside... I know that you've been chasing this place longer than anyone." The younger man replied, keeping it as honest as he could. "Before all the problems even started happening in Hyrule. And then you were there for Ilia, so I... guess I feel like I still owed you. Oh, and I'm a lot stronger than I used to be. In the beginning this would've been impossible but... now?"  
  
Against his usual hesitant nature, Link smiled with an inner confidence that he'd always carried yet was rarely shown.  
  
"And, if I may ask... what of the others who were able to fight alongside you?" Shad found himself wondering. "How did they react to your secretive methods?"  
  
"... Auru and Rusl stepped aside, intentionally, I think. They never asked for an explanation but they definitely knew that there was a lot more going on... and that I'd be better off working alone."  
  
"And our iron lady?"  
  
"Is that an official nickname?" The swordsman smirked. "Yeah, she was... difficult."  
_  
_ Shad chuckled lightly, having made himself all too familiar with Ashei's merciless work ethic. "I recall you two having problems in the beginning. But still, old boy, she's taken a shine to you faster than anyone! It was... rather _painful_ for me to watch."  
  
"That whole thing really was my fault." Link admitted, sheepishly. "I hid the truth from her... like I've been doing to you all this time. And not everyone is happy working under these conditions. But Shad... I wouldn't trade the support you've given me for the world. And um, Ashei, she's... one of a kind. You're... lucky to have her around."  
  
"... Indeed. I could not imagine things otherwise."  
  
Another hour or so passed, in which the two watched the skies together, drinking in the quiet of the evening. But eventually the swordsman began to rub his eyes and he'd failed to stifle a yawn that the scholar also found contagious.  
  
"We've had a really big day." He'd said, as he inspected the slightly run-down leather of his gloves. "... Did you wanna try and find somewhere to rest?"  
  
"Yes, let's." Shad smiled gently as he took his hand, leading Link away from the starry ledge and back to the main floor of the hallway.  
  
"I was also thinking that maybe we could... sleep next to each other, if that'll make roughing it easier on you?" The swordsman offered.  
  
"I would like that. Very much."  
  
Spending the night on the ground without so much as a blanket seemed like an incredibly rough prospect for one that was so accustomed to a bed indoors, and it the irony hadn't been lost on Link that it was now _his turn_ to induct the other man into his sleeping routine. But Shad hadn't seemed bothered by this in the slightest.  
  
He curled up enthusiastically into one of the nooks beside a fallen column and then wrapped his arms around the younger man, as though to cushion him against the stone. Link pressed against his chest in return, nestling his head into the area beneath his neck.  
  
"... Thank you for choosing to trust me, Shad. With this investigation and... all the other stuff, too." He said quietly.  
  
"You don't need to thank me, old boy. I would follow you anywhere to repay your kindness. Always."  
  
Another brief silence followed, in which the two wordlessly enjoyed each others company and the swordsman felt the other man's heart racing stealthily against his head. However, the restless fidgeting of their hands and feet suggested that _actually_ falling asleep was still some hours away.  
  
"... What are you thinking about now?" Shad prompted, smiling at him through the dark.  
  
"... Ilia." He confessed.  
  
"I know she's doing better since we found her memories. But... I still think about her in town, every night that I'm not there."  
  
The scholar knotted his fingers in Link's hair as he held him, considering the much-improved status of the young girl back home. "I've never known a more gentle and courageous soul. To have survived so much, and to still care for others and work as hard she has... it is quite simply put, amazing."   
  
"You think she's cute too, don't you?" Link teased him.  
  
"Indisputably." He agreed.   
  
"... Would it be _too_ venturesome of me to ask for the story of how you two met? I am rather aware that... the circumstances might be rather heavy for you to recount. However, I do find myself curious over such a fated encounter."  
  
_"I will..._ but only if you tell me the story of how you and Ashei met." Link grinned at him through the dark. "I tried to ask her once and she laughed in my face."  
  
"Oh dear. I suppose we are going for total embarrassment here!" Shad laughed. "Very well. Allow me to tell you of the time in which I offered to buy a drink for a mysterious young lady at the bar... only for Telma to turn around and eagerly introduce her as our new associate. I nearly ended up with it thrown over my head for erroneously assuming that we were, in fact, waiting for a man."  
  
The swordsman stifled a laugh of his own, finding his thoughts all but vanishing away from the matter of the dragon.  
  
"She stopped once she realised how handsome you were though, right?"  
  
"Ah... if only that had ever worked." He chuckled. 

* * *

_'Interesting...'_  
  
The cold light of the spirits robbed the bedroom of any familiarity, silently chilling the air and freezing even the specs of dust that floated into proximity. Icy fractals began to form along the windowpane, which were unheard of in this part of the world, lulling any who were susceptible to the cold into a deep slumber.  
  
_'Very interesting...'_  
  
He'd always visited in the brief window that existed before dawn - sensing a stillness in the air unlike any other time of day. And it just so happened that _now_ was quieter than ever before... allowing him to work unfettered, to his heart's content.  
  
_'These strange people he keeps around... he runs in and out of here, using every last one of them to further his plans...'_  
  
Green burned away into red as she stared forward into the mirror, sitting dutifully upon the floorboards where her knees jutted against the hard ground.  
  
_'And you, my pet... you must be so tired of being the scapegoat. The false motivation for his power... surely you realise by now that you could've never belonged in his world? And that this has all been some great accident...'  
  
_ "Link..." She whimpered. _  
_  
The lights in her eyes danced with the memories as they came flooding back, flashing through her mind and leaving the body in the form of whispers. She'd seen many things of the orphaned boy who stumbled into their village all those years ago.  
  
There were also times when he'd felt tempted to reach out and touch the face of the sweet girl that had helped him so far... but such things could only ever be fantasies from beyond the glass. _  
_ _  
'However, you've proven very useful to me. In all the time you've spent with them, you've seen so much...!'  
  
_ "Link... please... _stop_ it..." She begged.  
_  
_ Her pale skin was luminous against the void, which began to shrink away as the shadow left her with a departing smile. Her memories slowed and soon everything was dark... as dark as it _ought_ to have been in Castle Town at this hour. _  
  
'Shhh. Won't you be a good girl and rest now? Until tomorrow-' _  
  
But the yowling of a strange creature from outside of the room interrupted him.  
  
And then, the door burst open to reveal a familiar face, a striking girl who he'd never seen before but who he'd _known_ well, in all her wild fury. Her dark eyes burned with anger as she breathed hard against the cold, staring into the face of the most inexplicable thing she had ever seen.  
  
_'... Ah. I was wondering when I might finally meet you, Miss Ashei.'  
_  
Before the monster could say anything else, her sword whirled towards the mirror and shattered it into pieces, spraying broken glass all over the room. She was sure that she'd caught the smile on his face as he disintegrated, his unnatural connection to the room now severed in all of the fragments.

* * *

A violent crack of lightning and thunder woke Shad the next morning, who then snuck himself out of the citadel, fearing what he might discover once he braved the storm outside.  
  
Without the Clawshot to pull himself across the island, he could only stand upon the precipice and watch as the dragon - now stripped away to nothing but its scaly, crimson hide - struggled in the air with the swordsman clinging onto its back. His sword glinted in the lightning strikes as it came down, again and again, piercing into the most vulnerable area on the creature's back.  
  
Thick jets of flame, which were blue flowing into orange, erupted sporadically out of the dragon's mouth as it let out another **_screech_**. And then it flapped violently - higher and higher above the island - in a final act of desperation to kill the hero with its fall.  
  
In a panic, Link immediately hooked himself onto the nearest pillar and out of harm's way before the beast came crashing down from the heavens. The scholar gasped as he heard it slam hard into the island, all but disappearing into a scatter of shadow fragments, which pulled towards some unknown centre of gravity.  
  
Shaking with adrenaline, the hero then climbed back down to receive the last piece of the Twilight Mirror - hoping to _finally_ open the bridge between worlds and put an end to the war.  
  
But before he did so, his eyes combed over the citadel and then locked onto Shad, who stood alone in the rain, some hundreds of metres away.  
  
'Link, we need to hurry to the Mirror Chamber.' Midna reminded him. '... Get your boyfriend out of here safely and then we'll talk. There's... _something important_ I need to tell you.' _  
_  
"Damnit, I... I really didn't want him to see me like that."   
  
'What - effortlessly slaying a dragon? Even in my world, people go for that kind of thing. You've done well.'  
  
Eventually, once the rain whittled down, he began the descent.  
  
And then he'd found himself in Shad's arms, whose eyes of deep indigo were struck with a profound sadness. Upon closer inspection he'd also noticed that some of the hero's hair and the areas where his forearms met his tunic were burnt in the attack. He'd pressed his lips to Link's forehead before crushing him in the embrace, wondering how he could've fought like this - _alone_ \- for so long.  
  
"Does it hurt?" Shad said quietly.  
  
"... Not as much with you here." Link assured him.  


 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Update 11/7/19:** Heartfelt thanks and artistic credit goes to Shadlink64 for the illustration at the end of this chapter! :) I'm so excited to see parts of this fic resonating with an audience and this is the ultimate motivation to keep on learning and improving! 
> 
> AN: And that's a wrap on our latest arc! Things are gonna get a little "darker" as we head towards the end of the game. ;) These chapters might also need some extra time to get right but I promise they are on their way!
> 
>  _Potential spoilers ahead;_ if you have any concerns about the ending, I will also warn everyone ahead of time that there are ~~no character deaths but there will be injuries~~... and that we do end up with ~~poly undertones in the ships~~ (mixture of platonic, romantic and sexual - within the confines of the T rating).
> 
> Many thanks and hope you enjoyed! :)


	22. The Evil You Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Link makes a haunting discovery during his time in the Twilight Realm. 
> 
> Meanwhile, Ashei strengthens her emotions as she reunites with Shad and hunts down the truth behind Link's impersonator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Apologies for the delay on this one, my health took a nosedive but now we're back. :) Please check out the wonderful art in the prior chapter if you haven't already!
> 
> Before we get started I also wanted to clarify my age head-canons for this story: Link is 17, Shad and Ashei are both 19 and Ilia is 18. Shad and Ilia are actually closer in age than they are to Ashei... and Link is our youngest member of the group. 
> 
> We're entering into the final leg of the conflict now... and so, this is our last little bit of drama and fluff before the main event. Hope you enjoy~

**Chapter 22 - The Evil You Know**  
  
Stepping into the heart of the Twilight Realm as a human was an especially odd sensation. The skies burned with a sinister character that would've unsettled any creature of the light - one that might've mimicked the woods, concealing the ever-present threat of wolves and bears under its cypresses. And the air itself seemed far heavier here, with its rolling clouds of amaranthine purple and vermilion forever dimming the atmosphere.  
  
It was, in spite of all of its otherworldliness, beautiful.  
  
Although he were painfully out of place here, Link caught himself admiring the towering architecture of the palace... and then, wondering what Shad might have made of such an alien creation. He drew similarities between the cool green that powered through its buildings and interiors to the many luminous torches of Hyrule Castle Town. Closer still, it also reminded him of the veins that ran along Midna's ears in her corporeal form.  
  
He'd felt a terrible wave of sympathy for the Twilight Princess when she'd shared her true identity... and then _asked_ him to remain hidden during their visit... although by this stage, he'd known that being anything less than his usual self would've shamed her more. But until Zant could be dispatched, the Twilight realm was still in total disorder.  
  
And so, they continued on through the palace catacombs, making their way toward a single and rare source of power.  
  
After swinging his sword at a couple of Shadow Keese, the hero looked to the scaffolding on his upper right - shooting his way over clouds of darkness that churned in the depths - before pursuing the mysterious location down the hallway.  
  
"Link, we're headed toward the holding cells for the palace." Midna warned. "... I almost don't want to look. Something tells me that Zant set them all free."  
  
"Anything in this area we could use?" He'd wondered as they approached the dungeon. The hero was frustrated to learn that the cells were, in fact, housed quite some distance up towards the ceiling. And sure enough... all of the doors were wide open, though he couldn't see much else from the ground floor.  
  
"I doubt it. More importantly, if all of my prisoners really were released, then they could still be anywhere in the palace. These were _powerful_ magic users who sought to regress us back into the dark days. And they'd attack you on sight... so be on your guard, Link."  
  
Link then used the Clawshot on the grates that ran along the upper walls before turning around to face into the prison. Though it had been futile to check at this point - and he couldn't tell whether he ought to have been relieved or _alarmed_ \- the cells were indeed all empty.  
  
"Damnit. I'm sorry, Midna."  
  
_"I knew it. That reckless idiot!"_ She cursed. "Some of these prisoners were there from a time before even _I_ took the throne... and I'm guessing he was planning on using them to hold over the Light Realm once it fully assimilated into the Twilight. The cheat's low on allies."  
  
"... Would they really listen to him, though? I mean, he's just some despot, right?" The hero questioned, as he shot himself over the abyss and onto the opening platform of the cells.  
  
"Who can say? He's _strong,_ which isn't to be sniffed at where these types are concerned. Recapturing them is going to be a real pain when I get this place back."  
  
Overridden with curiosity, Link went exploring into each of the rooms. His blue eyes flickered around in the gloom and caught much of the same barrenness throughout - austere furniture, minimal lighting, and incomprehensible scratches all along the ceiling. One of the cells had no blank space whatsoever and was covered in tallies that were dotted meticulously over the walls, presumably counting the amount of days spent in there.  
  
But then... the final cell caught his attention.  
  
This one seemed different from each of the others. Far more furnished and decorated. And discernably larger in size. It had looked, for all intents and purposes, like somebody's _home._  
  
"Who was important enough for this one?" He'd asked, glancing over the entirety of the room with confused awe. Within it he saw an orb of the same green energy that ran throughout the rest of the palace - different from the Sol that Midna had asked him to look for - along with a mirror, a desk and a small collection of books. Even stranger was the fact that it had all been left there, scattered about mid-project like after one of Shad's writing sessions.  
  
"... We called him the Interloper." The Twilight Princess murmured.  
  
Link thumbed through the pages of a book as he recalled the words of the Spirit Lanayru, taking absent note of the fact that the Twili used a different language from the one he were able to read.  
  
"You mean...?"  
  
"That's right. He was one of the sorcerers who tried to control the Sacred Realm and got us into this whole mess. We never did manage to track down the others like him, though... Maybe they hid themselves and waited things out. Maybe they're different people now? I couldn't say." Midna sighed.  
  
"And why does he deserve special treatment?"  
  
"These little trinkets in his room aren't any concessions of mine. Even so, the fact remains that without him the Twilight Realm wouldn't exist as it does today. This is our history." She'd admitted, albeit begrudgingly. "... Are we done here, Link? I don't think there's anything else we can do until we deal with Zant."  
  
Just as the swordsman turned to walk away, he'd accidentally knocked another one of the books onto the ground. "Damnit."  
  
Not wanting to offend the apparently _ancient_ evildoer - who had arranged his belongings in a certain way - Link went to pick it up and place it back onto the nearby pile... before he turned the book over to see where it had opened. What he saw on the pages was so utterly bizarre that he'd blinked twice, in some futile attempt to ensure that this wasn't some mere imagining.  
  
However, there was no mistaking it.  
  
All of the detail was there; the small shape of her face, the feathery texture of her short hair, those clear, vibrant eyes staring off into the distance. Despite the unsettling coldness he'd drawn into her expression... it looked like her.  
  
_It had to be her.  
_  
"Um. _Midna...?"_  
  
"What is it, Link?" She sighed, feeling exasperated.  
  
"... Why the hell would there be drawings of Ilia on this guy's desk?"

* * *

Ilia was leaning over the flower stall and admiring a particularly vibrant tower of pink snapdragons when she'd heard the echo of familiar horse hooves in the distance, along with the surprised gasps of several people shuffling out of the way in time.  
  
"My apologies!" The voice rang out from down the street. "Coming through! Uh... S-Sorry about that, good sir!"  
  
"... Shad?" She gasped, feeling a pit of excitement in her stomach.  
  
Hurrying away from the stall and towards the commotion, she'd then looked up to see Epona striding proudly through the streets with a familiar face gripping onto the reigns. His glasses were crooked and those indigo eyes wavered around with discomfort as the chestnut mare made her way through the traffic.  
  
_"Shad!!"_ _  
  
_ The scholar recalled the conversation he'd had with Link shortly before he'd disappeared, warning him that Epona responded just a _little_ less eagerly to the command of anyone else - not that a novice would've been able to tell. However, the Ordonian had promised him that she was a great judge of character and that he shouldn't have any issues getting home.  
  
'Get him home safely, girl. He's important to me.'  
  
What he hadn't expected - in light of this talk - was for the horse to take on a mind of her own and deliver him to the very doorstep of his lodgings.  
  
Upon catching his reflection in the passing windows, Shad was then struck by the realisation that he could barely recognise himself. He knew how wild this would've seemed to him a year ago and yet, here he was now, returning home like some great adventurer - with a binder full of thesis-forging notes to boot!  
  
A familiar pair of green eyes flashed up at him suddenly through the crowd, as Ilia ran towards the pair and obstructed their path.  
  
_"Whoa there, girl!_ That's far enough!" She commanded Epona, holding both of her arms out in a stopping motion. "... Shad, you need to pull on the reigns and pat her twice on the side of the neck!"  
  
"A-Ah...!" He'd fumbled, following her instructions with haste.  
  
"Is everything alright? Where's Link?"  
  
The barmaid's eyes widened with alarm as she took the reigns, inspecting him for any signs of distress.  
  
"Oh, Ilia...! Link was perfectly... healthy when I last saw him. In fact, he said he had some urgent business to attend to while we wait for him in town." Shad conveyed, doing his best to mask the grave concerns that he might've carried. There had been a strange urgency in the swordsman's final embrace at the Lake, which had spiked his anxiety higher than any horse ride back to the capital.  
  
"Well, that's a relief. I'm glad you're both alright. But then, what are you doing with Epona all the way out here? This is a residential zone!"  
  
"There were multiple attempts to stop her!" Shad laughed nervously. "Although she did slow down considerably once we got through the gates. Perhaps she was just happy to see you? ... As am I."  
  
This comment seemed to smooth things over with the younger girl as the scholar finally climbed down and attempted to brush himself free of the copious amounts of horsehair that clung to his jacket. It took another minute or so for the street pavement to stop moving under his feet, which Ilia had certainly noticed before she'd held out her hand in support.  
  
"Welcome home, silly." She said at last, moving in to squeeze him with her free arm. "We've all missed you."  
  
Shad's arms pressed reassuringly against the arch of her back as he returned the gesture. The still warmth of the morning sun had felt amazing against his face. "It is delightfully good to see you, my dear."  
  
"... I have to admit, Epona leading _you_ around might be one of the funniest things I've ever seen." Ilia then admitted, stifling a giggle. "But you need to be more careful next time. It's not safe for her or anyone else in these narrow streets! I'll take her back to the stables so you can get settled."  
  
"Oh, no. Please-"  
  
"No arguing!" She interrupted, as she ran one of her pale hands through Epona's mane. "It's been so long and I never get to see her in this place. Isn't that right, girl?"  
  
As the determined girl went to walk away with Epona in tow, the scholar found himself seized in the throes of an epiphany. His hand now lingered in the air where her shoulder was moments ago - his mouth failing to articulate more than a feeble attempt at catching her attention. But he'd allowed his discerning nature to win as he watched Ilia slip further away from him on the street.  
  
Of course, the Ordonian hadn't seemed any different at face value... if anything, she came across as _more_ spirited than usual, especially as she'd fussed over and groomed Epona.  
  
However, Ashei's priority mail that had found its way to him just after he'd touched down in the Lake Hylia basin - the one that had told him to come home _immediately_ , and nothing else - alerted him to another possibility. The shock of receiving such a cryptic message from someone who was usually straight to the point hadn't been lost on Shad, who then turned around and made his way to the bar... frowning with trepidation as he'd done so.

* * *

"Good... morning?"  
  
The last thing Shad expected to find as he walked in through the door was Ashei slumped neatly against their meeting table with her head propped against one of her arms... fast asleep. The door chimes had failed to rouse her attention, and the scholar quietly shuffled the rest of the way into the room. He'd blinked slowly at the strangeness of the occasion before venturing closer, tilting his head to catch a proper glimpse at her face.  
  
Seeing the warrior anything short of alert and ready to go had been a very jarring experience. Her dark hair spilled around her over the desk and her thick lashes were pressed firmly against her cheek. And she'd snored so quietly that it was _nearly_ undetectable.  
  
Though he would've been crucified for saying so, this might've been cutest thing he had ever seen her do.  
  
"Erm. Ashei?" The scholar roused gently, giving her a tentative nudge on the shoulder. Some instinctive part of him feared losing those fingers in the process, though this hadn't been enough to stop him. "... Oh dear. Please tell me that you didn't drink Telma out of business."  
  
Then suddenly, her eyes flew open.  
  
She drew in a sharp breath and instinctively whipped out one of the knives tucked into her armour - pointing it towards the source of the noise. And then the scholar promptly withdrew his hand, stumbling backwards as his heart leapt up into his throat.  
  
"... You're here." Ashei blinked. She'd looked vulnerable for a moment before she sheathed her weapon, ignoring the terror in her friend's eyes. "It's about time you got back. Didn't you get my letter?"  
  
"Yes! G-Good morning!" He stammered. "I'm afraid that there was... quite the detour during my research trip. And I actually have some rather big news to share. Though I imagine that yours ought to take precedence, given the urgency of your letter, yes?"  
  
The warrior pinched the bridge of her nose and then pried herself up mechanically, now regarding him with the most humourless expression.  
  
"Is yours good news or bad news?"  
  
"Excellent news. The _best_ sort, actually."  
  
"Then let's end on that note. Walk with me." Ashei decided.  
  
She'd then gotten up and made for the door... even though Telma had gone out for the morning to run errands and there was nobody else to be seen around the bar. However, knowing better than to press the warrior in this state, Shad immediately followed her lead and the pair made their way out onto the street.  
  
The short journey to the central square had been relatively wordless and the scholar had caught himself looking over his friend with some concern, wondering at the strangeness of her behaviour. Whenever something needed to be said Ashei was usually the first one to raise it... but something in her manner seemed off, and she wore a mask of reservation in the place of her usual quips and self-assured poise.  
  
Eventually, they stopped at the fountain in the centre of town - touching upon the pavement where they'd witnessed the magic barrier tearing across the sky and over the castle. At this point it carried the novelty of an impressive background feature for many of the townspeople who bustled around them, carrying various goods from the market and rebelling against their apparent doom with contentment. However foolish they seemed - the reality was that _these_ were the people the Resistance had been fighting to protect.  
  
The warrior took a deep breath before she began to talk, eyeing the castle with a quiet fury.  
  
"This might sound like it's coming out of nowhere. But... when you saw Link on your assignment, did he ever do anything that seemed weird to you, or..." She stopped short upon remembering that there was _nothing_ remotely normal about the handsome man in question.  
  
"I don't know... evil?"  
  
"Evil?" Shad repeated, looking utterly horrified. "What in Hylia's name is this about?! What could he have possibly done to warrant such defamation _\- from you, no less_ \- in the time that he's been gone?"  
  
The warrior had been staring away into the distance with troubled eyes, her uncertainty fathomless, until she'd finally looked up to face Shad.  
  
"Unless... there's a **duplicate** of him out there?" She said, thinking out loud. "Could be that someone powerful tried to copy Link's abilities and that abomination in the mirror was the result. He's a lot more than he lets on, surely you've seen for yourself, yeah?"  
  
"Excuse me, Ashei?! _What,_ pray tell, is all of this about a mirror?"  
  
The scholar felt his mounting anger begin to recede as he listened to the warrior's version of events, soon replaced with the feeling of guilt that such a thing could've happened in his absence. Something about the case stuck into his mind like a needle; as though he'd ignored the warning signs Ilia had given away during the many nights he'd spent reading at her bedside.  
  
He'd suddenly remembered the bizarre manner in which that curtain hung over the dresser in her room. And the _intensity_ of her dreams... all of which had apparently included Link.  
  
The shadows were there, and yet, he'd been blind to their depths. _  
_  
_"... Please_ tell me that it didn't lay a hand on her." He swallowed. "Or... on you, for that matter. I cannot help but to feel partially responsible here."  
  
"We're fine. I smashed him to pieces." Ashei assured, prompting the scholar to let out a sigh of relief. "But Goddesses, it looked _just like him..._ with those wide eyes and that messy hair. And when it spoke, it... knew my name. Like it had been waiting for me."  
  
Shad pulled a particularly squeamish face as she'd recalled the monster's words, now struggling to place his emotions beyond the word 'disconcerting.'  
  
"... Rusl wanted to take Ilia home but I talked him out of it. She would've fought him every step of the way without getting to say goodbye to you or Link. And we've been busy planning the raid on the castle, which complicates things."  
  
The scholar smiled a little for the first time during their conversation.  
  
"Found it difficult to resist the whims of our barmaid, did we?"  
  
This, however, was met with a familiar snort.  
_  
_ "Hey, I'm not some soft idiot people can just bat their eyelids at..." Ashei scowled at him, feeling a relapse into her usual personality. "I'm just being patient here, until we can get more information on what happened. Sending Ilia away isn't going to help us in that regard. And between you and me, she could probably do with some cheering up, yeah?"  
  
Shad was feeling more than glad for the change in the warrior's disposition. Although, perhaps due to her life on the road, there was no getting around the fact that the warrior knew how to hide her vulnerabilities well.  
  
The truth was that she'd grown  _very_ exhausted.   
  
"We owe much to your diligence, Ashei. Truly. Words cannot express my gratitude." He'd offered gently, eliciting an eye-roll.  
  
"... Y'know, despite the glaring fact that we were being spied on in our own quarters."  
  
"On that note - _I_ shall be handling the night watch henceforth." Shad declared, placing a hand on Ashei's arm that she hadn't immediately brushed away. "And I have plenty of work to do, so don't you dare raise a fuss."  
  
"You go on one adventure and you think you can order me around?" She laughed, thumping him lightly on the chest.  
  
"My dear Ashei, it might interest you to know that I am now _mostly_ immune to threats of physical violence."  
  
After taking a couple of minutes to glance at the chaos of the market around them, intertwined with the sound of music from a nearby cafe, the warrior soundlessly rose to her feet. Shad's face lit up with surprise as she'd offered to help him off the fountain ledge, her movements enlivened with some newfound optimism.  
  
"Know you just got back but... would you mind walking around some more?" She asked, a little self-consciously. "I wanna hear this 'excellent news' you've been carrying around."  
  
"Not at all." He'd smiled. "I have quite the tale for you, in fact."

* * *

The balmy afternoon sun took hold of the city as the scholar divulged his tale of the Skies to the hardened woman at his side, who'd _balked_ at the suggestion of him attacking monsters and chastising a dragon that could breathe fire. Better still, was the impressive knowledge that someone as accomplished as Link had managed to take it down single-handedly.  
  
Perhaps the most astounding revelation of all was the fact that the City in the Sky was more than some abstraction that existed in her friend's notes... it was a tangible place - a _real_ place - that lay hidden in the clouds above Hyrule.  
  
Though there was still so much for the Resistance to do, the demands of the conflict had been put on hold, if only for a moment.  
  
"... I can't believe that it's real. And that you _went there_ and came back alive." Ashei said unguardedly, wearing the most surprised expression Shad had ever seen. She studied flask that he'd returned from his coat pocket in her hands, withholding quiet the belief that it had always brought her luck on her travels.  
  
_"Of course it was real!_ That was the entire point of my research!"  
  
"Not that I ever doubted you but... after all this time, it just started to feel like a concept, yeah?" She smirked. "Guess you can finally get your research verified and go on publishing as an authority. You've got this whole thing in the bag! ... Uh, congratulations."  
  
"I wouldn't have made it without your support. You were my lifeline in the dark." He'd offered, beaming with gratitude.   
  
"Ah. There is also... more news."  
  
And then, the scholar hesitated. He'd looked around briefly for a place to stop and then ushered them over to a quiet spot of grass, overlooking one of the parks crammed into the Eastern suburbs. The spring was nearing its end and the days had gotten longer at every instance, imbuing the city with new warmth.  
  
Sensing his change in tone, Ashei went still before she'd folded her arms and then leaned against the nearest fence. "Go on."  
  
"W-Well... there might not be any... easy way for me to really put this, but-"  
  
"Come on, Shad. Just spit it out instead of dancing around it, yeah?"  
  
"Alright then, uh.... you see... _Link and I_... we discussed a couple of things during our assignment and we... um-" He'd trailed off, finding his words muddled by the nervousness that took hold of him now.  
  
"You're... together?"  
  
"Well, intermittently speaking-" _  
_  
"... What?" And then the warrior cracked her knuckles, her dark eyes stirring with anger. "Why the hell not? Is he stringing you along? Does he need his legs broken or-"  
  
"W-Wow, this is really not where I'd pictured this conversation going!" Shad laughed, now vaguely aware of the fact that he'd been clenching his hands to stop them from shaking. "My main concern was... well, h-how do _you_ feel about this? Is this not a... shock to hear about your friend?"  
  
"Link told me that he liked you before he left." She offered unflinchingly. "And if you're into guys... then I'm glad things worked out for you. Won't find a better one around here. Fair warning though, hang out with him on the street and _everybody_ starts gawking at you."  
  
_"Ah._ On that point. I must confess that I... don't have a specific type." He'd said quietly, finding himself unable to meet her eyes as he continued. "I find myself enamoured with people beyond the constraints of gender... if you catch my meaning? Though, I've kept this to myself for some time."  
  
"Oh. Yeah? I... get it. Support you either way." She'd blinked.  
  
"Y'know what though, that bitchiness you pulled on me after Snowpeak looks _way_ worse now."  
  
"That was not my finest moment." Shad admitted, heavily. "And I'm sorry, Ashei, that I let my pettiness get in the way of our accord. I still remember what you said about putting yourself on the line for me."  
  
And then, the warrior froze, her jaw clenched shut.  
  
She'd wondered if he were about to bring up the rest of the horrifying incident or simply the words she'd thrown at him - in that drunken haze against the tavern wall.  
  
"I lacked the courage to tell you this before but I would _always_ do the same for you, if the situation ever arose. While I was out there on my assignment... I was reminded of how little I know of the world beyond the castle walls or my books. And how different we are. Yet, you are perhaps the greatest friend I've ever had the pleasure of knowing." He said softly. "There is still quite a deal more I would like to learn from you, if you'd be willing to put up with me."  
  
"For starters, you shouldn't be putting yourself down like that. You're a _proficient_ man. An intelligent one, who follows through on his commitments." She'd replied bluntly, while looking away to hide the fact that his words had touched her cheeks.  
  
"And... I'll always have time for you, Shad. Things between us are good, yeah?"  
  
"They are." He smiled.  
  
It seemed impossible not so long ago but the dizzying realisation that swept over him now was a sense of pride - and _accomplishment -_ that finally, he was on equal footing with the skilful warrior. And that it hadn't taken a single punch to get there.  
  
"... So anyway, how _was_ the hook-up with Link?" Ashei smirked, breaking the scholar out of his thoughts with a devious tone. "Don't need any details. But I'd feel better about the whole crisis if it was worth it for you."  
  
Now, it was his turn to blush furiously red.  
  
"It was, uh... _w-well..._ s-surely you must know how these affairs go, yes?"  
  
"I might." She shrugged. "I have a strict policy, though. _Nobody_ knows about it unless it's on a first-hand basis."   
  
"Oh? Not even me after all of this time?" Shad winked - but then he'd nearly choked, tripping over the inference he'd just made. "... Dear Goddesses, I did not mean for that to come out in a lecherous sort of manner."  
  
To his immense relief, Ashei then threw her head back and laughed. It was a rare sight - and a beautiful one - especially lately with all the heaviness of the war weighing down upon their meeting table.  
  
"That would have to take a couple of drinks."  
  
"Therein lies the problem, neither of us can stop at just a couple." The scholar remarked with a light chuckle.  
  
The two Resistance members eventually made their way back towards the bar as the sun began to sink beneath the buildings, the crowds thickening as citizens packed up their stalls and carried their various belongings through the bustle. The overhanging barrier in the distance had reminded Ashei of the terrible task ahead, though she'd forcefully shoved their plans to the side, choosing to enjoy the break with Shad while it lasted.  
  
"It feels good to be home." He'd admitted, as his deep eyes narrowed to match his smile. "... Though, I suppose we will just have to wait for Link to return before we take any further action with Ilia. Perhaps he has some information on the matter that we do not."  
  
"Likely." She agreed.  
  
"... Don't be afraid to tell her about you and lover-boy when we get back, either. Those two have been plotting out of your earshot for some time."

* * *

It was nearly midnight some days later when Ashei had spied the stranger stumbling in the dark along the main street, stopping only to take in the sight of Hyrule Castle... an act most of the people around here willingly abstained from. Her interest captured, she'd then watched as he made his way towards Telma's Bar, his green tunic flickering brightly under the torch flames.  
  
_'It's him.'  
_  
As he'd ambled into the light, something about the bright young man seemed further off than usual. His eyes carried the shadow of something awful and there was a particularly nasty cut along the side of his cheek, matching the nicks along his armour and the frayed strands of burnt hair that shifted around him in the cold breeze.  
  
He'd survived.  
  
Though, this time, the fight hadn't come so easily.  
  
The warrior dropped down from the roof and onto the pavement with haste, using the windowsills for footholds as she'd done so. And then, she turned to face him... unwillingly reminded of the monster she had seen all those nights ago.  
  
"W-Whoa!" The swordsman gasped, bringing a hand to his face. "... Ashei. You scared the hell out of me."  
  
"What the hell happened to you? You're in real bad shape."  
  
"I'm fine." Link replied, his voice a little thicker and raspier than she'd ever remembered hearing it. The raven-haired girl merely raised an eyebrow in response, her expression darkening with incredulity.   
  
"... I need to talk to everyone as soon as I can. It's about the castle."  
  
"You know we've got a plan for that ready to go, yeah? We hunted blueprints and weapons while you and Shad were running around with the Oocca. Just gotta run through the whole thing one more time."  
  
"That's... really good to hear." The hero nodded. "You guys have done half of the work already."  
  
"You think we only dress the part?" She'd scoffed. "But before we even _touch_ any of that stuff we need to fix you up. You're in an unacceptable condition."  
  
"What? ... No, Ashei, I'm fine. Ready for anything." He'd protested weakly before she grabbed onto his arm to march him inside. Link found himself wondering whether the pain in his body really had been _that_ obvious after she'd shouldered his weight down the steps.  
  
"Don't give me that. You're a terrible liar, remember?"  
  
"Ahaha...! Yeah, I remember."  
  
Of course, Ashei had been questioning how to broach the fact that she'd seen some malicious version of Link tormenting Ilia... and she'd known how she would've handled that exchange in the past. Outside, she might've drawn her sword and barred him from entering, duelling him for _some_ damned explanation of what was happening. But her honour had compelled her to lay down her arms.  
  
And experience had taught her that they were indeed far stronger, together.  
  
The bar was like a ghost town at this point of the night, enlivened only by Telma getting everything ready for tomorrow as the distant song of the street bards filtered in through the windows.  
  
"Hey. I found this one wandering around outside." The warrior interrupted.  
  
"Oh, Link honey!" The proprietress beamed, nearly throwing her dishcloth to the other side of the room. "It's been so long! I was wondering when we'd see you again. Do you need anything? ... You look like you could use a decent meal and some rest. And a bath."  
  
"Let's heat him up some of that soup of yours. Fixes everything." Ashei said with glowing endorsement, as she'd sat him down promptly at the bar.  
  
"Done! Won't be a minute, you two."  
  
"... You know, if you like it so much, I could introduce you to someone cool." Link offered, smiling for the first time in what felt like ages. "I know a soup enthusiast. And him and his wife are always looking for new snowboarding competition."  
  
"You know some _strange_ people." She'd replied with a bent eyebrow, before taking the seat next to him.  
  
With Telma distracted, Ashei looked around one final time before she pulled Link's attention, addressing him in a new voice that had caught him off-guard. "... So, let's be real with each other. You completed the key you needed and fought that bastard, didn't you? That's why you've turned up here looking like you've fallen into a pit of knives."  
  
The hero stared down at the counter, his eyes stirring with agitation as he nodded. Returning to the world of light had been a lot to hope for... and something as simple as a regular night in the bar filled him with more relief than he could put into words. The proprietress swept back into the room immediately after, pouring some kind of tonic for the swordsman into a mug and then offering him a plate of fresh bread.  
  
"Soup will be ready in a couple of minutes! I'm sure you kids can look after it." She'd smiled. "And I'll be heading off to bed now... so that you two can sort things out. I'm sure there's plenty to catch up on regarding a certain _someone."_  
  
"Come on, Telma. Not everyone is obsessed with dating gossip, yeah?"  
  
"Wait...!" Link gasped as he'd choked down a mouthful of food. "You both... know?"  
  
"Of course I know! _That's_ my best friend!" Ashei snapped, failing to hide the tint that crept onto her face. "And we've got real work to get through. No time for these games."  
  
"You be careful tussling with Link, okay honey? That pretty face hides a dangerous beast." Telma called out to them as she'd sauntered up the stairs. "Goodniiiiiight."  
  
Once the coast was clear, the swordsman turned his attention back to warrior whose expression was as unreadable as ever. 

"Did you, uh, get me alone like this cause you wanted to talk about Shad?" He'd asked sincerely. "I-I understand if you have... um... _concerns_ about your friend. I know you've got high standards. And there's some stuff he said about you actually, that I think we should-"

"No, Link." She sighed. "Just concentrate on getting better, yeah? You look like you've gone on a date with the butcher instead."  
  
And then she'd vanished into the kitchen to retrieve his soup before he could say another word.  
  
Mercifully, Ashei had let Link finish the meal before pressing on with her interrogation. Although, this time, the silence between them was not an uncomfortable one. They were just one step away from lifting the curse on Hyrule but the mental burden of such a task was not without physical repercussions - such as shadows that weighed under the eyes, hair that fretted out of the barrette or teeth that ached their way through a meal after being clenched down in pain, repeatedly.  
  
The moment of calm was unifying... however, transitory.  
  
"I needed to ask." She began. "Whether your latest mission happened to involve Ilia in any way?"  
  
_"... Ilia?"  
_  
Link felt himself struck with alarm, his memory flashing back to the bizarre drawings he'd seen on the prisoner's desk.  
  
"... I know you'd never do anything to hurt her. But it's important that you're upfront with me on any information you have."  
  
"Of course I'd never hurt her!" He'd protested, pupils narrowing with fright. "But Ashei, what's _happened?_ Why are you looking at me like that?"  
  
The threatening glint in her eye faltered in the dim light of the tavern, neutralised only by the sheer look of horror on the swordsman's face. This was not the mask of a liar. Nor were they the words of a snake.  
  
"Because I saw a monster that looked just like _you_ manipulating her through that mirror in her room the other night." She explained, softly. "And for all the secrets you have, it looks like this was an unexpected bit of information for you. So, tell me, do you have any idea what that was?"  
  
"A mirror? ... _No."_  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"It was **him**."  
  
"Him, who? _Who_ are you talking about?"  
  
Link suddenly grabbed onto fistfuls of his hair, nearly knocking everything off the counter in a panic.  
  
"... WHAT DID HE DO?!"  
  
_"Keep your voice down!"_ The warrior hissed. She yanked his arms down just as quickly as they'd shot up, mitigating his urge to implode. The other half of the battle involved stopping herself from losing her own patience, as thin as it naturally was. "I've been keeping Ilia safe and she's _fine_. But you'd better keep on talking. I mean it."  
  
But for all the level of detail the hero could give, it was no use.  
  
"... In the other realm, there was this... criminal who'd been kept in a cell with a mirror. And he had drawings of Ilia stashed around his desk. But by the time I'd gotten there, the Shadow King had set him free. I don't know what this means! Why would that person look like me? _What the hell could he want with her?!"_  
  
"Imitation's a form of flattery." Ashei sniffed, looking at him sideways. "You really don't know what it could be? I need you to think carefully. He has an affinity for the cold."  
  
The Hylian then turned his attention to the wall nearby and studied his shadow as he spoke. "... No. And the only person who might... never said anything."  
  
_'I don't have anything more on that guy, Link!'_ Midna defended.  
  
' _His actions might've been responsible for the Twilight realm... but at the end of the day, the Interloper and the rest of his kind came from **your world**. He was a trickster of the light. But he was not one of us, Twili. We need to be looking into the castle instead, Link... it could have more to do with this dark magic.' _  
  
Regrettably, Link had found himself forced to settle upon the fact that there was little more he could do at the moment. They were halfway through the job and Hyrule still needed him, just as the Twilight Realm did after being left reeling with disorder.  
  
"... Damnit. I've weighed your ear down enough." Ashei finally exhaled, cutting the session off with a yawn. "Let's get you to bed. And I'll organise a meeting tomorrow so we can all brief each other on the castle, then."  
  
_'Smart girl.'_ The Twilight Princess concurred.  
  
"Thanks but... I'm feeling a lot better now." He lied, struggling to shoot a smile back at the woman whose dark gaze cut through him like steel. "I should really go and check on Ilia, after the whole-"  
  
"Nope. You're drinking this potion and sleeping those injuries off." She growled, pushing a bottle of something sparkling and blue into his hands. "Shad has the night watch covered, so you can rest and see them both tomorrow... Plus it's not your style to let them see you hurt, yeah? They'd be worried about you in this state."  
  
"Is it that obvious?" Link cringed.  
  
Without making a sound over the floorboards, the two then made their way up the stairs, lingering in the hallway before the room Ashei had relinquished to him for the night.  
  
"... There was _one_ other thing I wanted to ask you about, actually. If it's not too nosy." She'd prompted, keeping her voice low. "Shad said that you'd gotten together but that you weren't together. Is that the gist of it?"  
  
"Um... kind of."  
  
This response had earned him some rather chilling side-eye. "Just made me wonder what your intentions toward my friend were. Sometimes he's an idiot and gets carried away but he doesn't deserve to have his heart broken, if that's how you're playing it-"  
  
"Oh - N-No - Ashei...! I didn't... it's not like that at all." Link struggled, lifting his hands up in surrender. "I couldn't jump into a relationship with anyone because of _this_ whole mess. When I finished my last job, everything was supposed to be fixed but now we're stuck dealing with the castle and-"  
  
"So you didn't... because of the war?" She clarified.  
  
"Uh y-yeah, if that's not too bad of an excuse?"  
  
The mild terror in his face disappeared as the warrior's expression softened, her brows knitted in thought. "Hah. You're just like me, then."  
  
"What do you mean?" Link asked quietly.  
  
The staunch girl leaned against the wall nearby, wearing a grim smile as she uncovered the truth of her hesitation. "... I had no business involving myself with anyone in this conflict. Though, I think you went with the better approach. You couldn't shut off your emotions... yet, you also had this burden to carry and see through to the end. You're a person just like the rest of us, Link. And you deserve to be happy."  
  
"Wait. Ashei. Are you saying that-"  
  
"Don't read into it," she smirked, eyes glinting in the dark across the walkway. "Let's get through this thing together first. And then we'll talk... _if_ we really need to."  
  
"... Well, I've got some insider knowledge on the subject. _If_ you ever feel like working things out." He teased, putting the onus back onto the warrior.  
  
And then she'd scoffed, leaning in very closely to his ear before she spoke into it, her words as honeyed as they were threatening.  
  
"Shut up and go to sleep, yeah? Before I give you more of those bruises."

* * *

The morning before the meeting had gone far too quickly for the swordsman after he'd found himself woken by Ilia, who then rested a cup of coffee on the bedside table. Rather than letting his fear control the reunion, he could only smile in her presence - as she ran her fingers gently along the _mostly_ healed cut on his face. His yellow hair hung around his shoulders in wisps that were mostly destroyed at the ends.  
  
"Charging in head-first again, huh?" She'd tsk-ed, only now beginning to notice the tatters of his clothing.  
  
"You mean there's _another_ way to do things?" He smiled, playfully.  
  
"... Give me a second, Link." And then, his best friend vanished into the bathroom, rifling through the various drawers until she'd pulled out a pair of scissors. "Alright! Come on in here. We're gonna get you all fixed up."  
  
"Hmm, I don't know. My gut tells me you're about to finish the job..."  
  
"You wanna look nice for Shad, don't you?" She teased.  
  
Not long after, Shad knocked on the door, obeying Ilia's command to simply let himself in. He'd relinquished a breakfast tray to the nearest table as he entered the room, looking around cautiously before he spotted the barmaid tidying the damaged ends of Link's hair - which had grown rather long in the time he'd known the younger man.  
  
"P-Pardon the intrusion, old boy...!" The scholar stammered. "There is, erm, some breakfast for you on the table. I only wished to see that you were alive, however, and I shan't interrupt the rest of your morning-"  
  
"... SHAD!!" Link exclaimed, dusting the hair from his shoulders before he'd rushed into his arms.  
  
The man he'd waited so long to see, after wading through all of the horrors of the Twilight, gripped back onto him fiercely and nestled his face into his shoulder. That familiar scent of the forest filled his lungs and the memories came flooding back, engulfing Shad with a restorative warmth that no potion could've ever replicated.  
  
"I was hoping to have him cleaned up _before_ you got here." Ilia said with a light blush, feeling quite proud of her work as she placed her free hand on her hip.  
  
"You're not leaving us!" Link then protested - his voice muffled against the scholar's chest. "I really wanted to see both of you before everything gets busy again."  
  
"... In that case, I am all yours." The scholar chuckled. "No need to stop the hairdressing session on my account."  
  
He'd soon found himself unable to resist Ilia's restoration efforts, and had taken to stitching the burns and cuts inflicted upon his clothing as Link showered in the next room. Curiously, he'd also noted the fact the mail that ran under his clothes - now draped over a nearby chair - had taken quite the beating... and yet the tunic itself was only _mildly_ damaged.  
  
Once the swordsman emerged from the bathroom in his essentials, his fresh injuries now soothed over by the hot water, he'd nearly found himself overwhelmed by the sight of Shad and Ilia repairing his belongings and getting everything into order before the meeting ahead.  
  
In an effort to make the most of these final hours of calm, the three then made their way onto the roof, upon which they admired the sun as it gleamed over the town.  
  
"... I wish we could just stay here, like this." Link smiled, his eyes flickering over the distant roads as he leaned against Shad's shoulder. Meanwhile, Ilia had stretched out just beneath them, taking in every drop of the morning sun as her light hair sparkled beneath the rays.  
  
"Shall I tell the others that the meeting is cancelled, then?" The scholar laughed before entwining his arm around Link's waist. "... Ah, how terrible. At times like this I must remind myself that Hyrule is in greater need of you than I am."  
  
"Link will come back, though. He always does." Ilia promised, brimming with confidence as she'd looked up at the two.  
  
The swordsman enclosed his hand around Shad's before he'd brought it to his lips and kissed, gently.  
  
"I'll get us through this one last time. I promise."

* * *

Against the bright and airy ambience of the morning, the skies were soon smothered under a blanket of clouds, casting a dark canopy over Castle Town. The promise of rain filled the lungs of any who breathed the air of the streets... though there were little more than flecks of water upon the windowsills as Telma closed the bar for business.  
  
The Resistance then assumed their normal posts at the meeting table - with Rusl seated to the far left, Auru hunched over the castle blueprints, then Ashei who stood impatiently in the corner, and finally Shad who had a collection of notes sprawled out in front of him. Telma hovered nearby, her eyes glancing between the pictures she kept over the fireplace, along with Ilia who'd settled into the most comfortable armchair with Louise in her lap.  
  
Link took a deep breath as he felt all the eyes in the room settle onto him, anxious for the news he'd been loathe to deliver.  
  
"... His name is Ganondorf. That's who we're dealing with. He's the reason everything in Hyrule started falling apart."  
  
"I have not heard that name in many years." Auru recalled, grimly. "If that is indeed the very same King of Thieves we were warned of by the Sages, during my service to the Royal Family. He was a dark sorcerer with his own ambitions for the throne."  
  
"King of Thieves, King of Shadows... all of these are just fancy titles for some dictator, right?" Ashei rolled her eyes. "But if he's a real person then he can be killed - just like the rest of us. We _have_ a plan."  
  
"However, we alone cannot do a thing with that magic barrier in place." Rusl reminded. "And whoever put it there did quite the thorough job! It even covers the storm water drain running between here and the castle... trust me, we've checked."  
  
"So, you see, Link..." Shad spoke up. "If there is anything that _you_ could do to lift this final obstacle... then we would be yours to aim at the threat. We could take down this Ganondorf, together."  
  
To the surprise of everyone, the swordsman smiled gently in response.  
  
"I have a way to get us in. Um, I can't promise it'll work yet... and it might be dangerous for the person wielding it... but she'll be alright. She's strong. This is our best chance."  
  
"Shall we turn our attention to the castle grounds, then?"  
  
Auru's efforts to guide the group's attention away from any glaring discrepancies in Link's plan seemed to work as the Resistance took hold of the rest of the meeting, pointing out the various objectives they'd need to meet if they were to take back the castle from a hostile force.  
  
"... And that's the west wing of the grounds." Ashei exhaled. "Neither are particularly complicated but we need to memorise it and use the existing fortification to our advantage. There could be traps."  
  
Rusl grumbled quietly before he continued, eyeing the blueprints with some concern. "If what Link says about Ganondorf being the source of the evil is true, then there's no anticipating just how heavily guarded the area might be. I would also venture that all of the guards who were trapped in there have long since perished."  
  
"It's a gamble. So, how do we wanna do this?" The warrior asked, casting a focused gaze around the room. "It'd be faster if we split up but that would leave us vulnerable to attack."  
  
"... I can take the west." Link volunteered. "It's smaller and I can easily cover it alone, so neither of you guys need to risk it."  
  
However, Shad had suddenly paled at this development in the plans. And Ilia had shot him a cold look from the fireplace that simply said _'You're doing too much again.'_  
  
"L-Link, are you... quite certain that-"  
  
"Please, Shad. Ilia. He'll manage just fine. You need only believe in him." Rusl promised, regarding his apprentice with an overflowing sense of pride. "We trust in your abilities, my friend. You have our full support."  
  
"Of course, I-I didn't mean to imply... that you were incapable." The scholar frowned.  
  
The hero had certainly noticed the mildly crestfallen look on Shad's face and then reached out to rub his shoulder in response, causing his eyes to light up with affection. However, all he could think of was how incredibly lonely it must have been for Link... after single-handedly felling that dragon in the Sky. And he'd never complained. That was, perhaps, the part that wounded him most, the idea that he _wasn't_ so human - just a solution to this conflict.  
  
"Cheer up, honey. He's our one-man army, remember? Your words." Telma beamed from across the room, causing the scholar to blush and clear his throat.  
  
"Right? He's got the easy job. And then, once we've taken the grounds, he should have a clear run to the top. We're here to reinforce you as needed... keep any enemies off the battlements." Ashei nodded, looking up to see Link's blue gaze storming over with determination.  
  
_'Just one more time...'_ he'd told himself.  
  
"Sound good to you, yeah?"  
  
"... Yeah." He concurred.  
  
Looking around the room, all he could see were others who had been dragged into _his_ mess. People isolated from their work, and their families, and their dreams - all in the face of imminent destruction. And here they all stood, ready to sacrifice it all for their shared goal.  
  
"Let's end this."

* * *

The following evening, the Resistance assembled just beyond the unmanned gate towers in the north end of town. They stood silently - quivers full, armours reinforced and swords sharpened - some metres away from the wall of magic that ascended up into the sky, capturing even the most unreachable spires of Hyrule Castle. It was a mere hour or so until sundown and the rains drizzled sporadically over the town, dampening the efforts of any who sought to use fire arrows in their defence.  
  
Ashei had turned her attention to the sprinkle of the raindrops against the barrier, noting how it rippled and stirred with foreboding energy upon even the slightest touch. As she'd waited for the signal from Link, she recalled her earlier conversation with him before he disappeared from the town square... concealing himself from the eyes of the group before Midna could summon the power of the Fused Shadows.  
  
His gloved hand settled onto the hard sheen of her shoulder-plate, drawing her thoughts away from the battle before them.  
  
"... Hey."  
  
"Don't tell me you're having second thoughts." She'd joked before flashing a half-smile his way.  
  
"Just wanted to say good luck." He said discreetly, eyes narrowing with emotion. "And you and Shad look out for each other. If anything happened to you guys, I'd..."  
  
"He's safe with me. You just stay alive, alright?"  
  
Blinking away from the memory, she looked to her side and caught the scholar standing there in the rain, looking all the way up the side of the barrier and into the clouds. _Wondering_ what might become of the young man he'd laughed at in the street all those months ago. If he'd been able to fight - he might've made the case that he should go along and support Link with his mission.  
  
But the stillness of the rain was soon overshadowed by the glaring orange of twilight. And then, came the thunder, as a great monster surged against the magic barrier.  
  
From the ground floor it was nearly impossible to see what was going on - _but for the lance,_ _the size of a building_ \- conjured suddenly from the air. It seared with a vengeance that would've burned the eyes of any who looked upon it directly, before Midna plunged it into the wall... shattering the barrier into pieces as the earth around them quaked.  
  
Once the commotion died down, the softer hues of dusk reclaimed the skies once again.  
  
And Hyrule Castle was imprisoned, no more.  
  
Rusl removed his helmet as he took in the gravity of the scene before him. "... He did it."  
  
"M-My _word."_ Shad stumbled. "For all the time we spent together... I hadn't the faintest idea he was capable of such a thing..."  
  
Ashei gripped onto her sword as she then made for the gates, stepping beyond the ghost of the blockade and onto a stretch of pavement that hadn't been touched by humans in months. The rain fell heavier as they neared the end of the road, and the warrior let it drown out whatever distractions may have yet lingered.  
  
"We have a job to do. Let's go." She commanded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Ohhh boyyyy, we're all set up and ready to dive in! 
> 
> Thank you so much again to everybody who made it this far! There was a lot of talking in this chapter but dangerous things are on the brink of happening, so hold onto your hats... @__@;;


End file.
